Justice Minister announces RUC George Cross Foundation appointments

1. The RUC George Cross Foundation was established by virtue of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 for the purpose of "marking the sacrifice and honouring the achievements of the Royal Ulster Constabulary". When policing and justice functions in Northern Ireland were devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 12 April 2010, the Department of Justice was established as a new Northern Ireland Department by the Department of Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2010. From this date, the RUC GC Foundation became an executive Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) of the Department of Justice. As such, it is now accountable to the Justice Minister.

2. The Foundation is a registered charity. Its charity number is XR80453.

The statutory functions of the Foundation allow it to recognise a long, proud history of policing in Northern Ireland and to look forward by supporting the professional development of police officers and innovations in policing.

The Foundation also undertakes joint initiatives with Stakeholder groups within the policing family in addition to having responsibility for the Memorial Garden.

3. The Foundation comprises a Chairperson and a Board of five trustees. Two of the Trustees are nominated by the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. The positions are unpaid.

4.  These appointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments Northern Ireland Code of Practice. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process, however, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published.

5. The details of the RUC George Cross Foundation membership, with effect from January 14 is as follows:

Chair: Stephen White OBE

Stephen White is the current Chairman of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Foundation. He is a Commissioner in the NI Human Rights Commission, a Senior Fellow of the US-based Soufan Group and member of Belfast Harbour Commissioners’ Police Advisory Committee.

He served in all ranks, up to Assistant Chief Constable, in the RUCGC and a further three years in the Police Service of Northern Ireland. He performed a number of key roles including Programme Director of the RUC’s Change Management Team and Head of Strategic Leadership Development based in the National Police College.

In 2003/04 he served in Iraq as the Director of Law & Order Southern Iraq with the US-led Coalition. After retiring from the police he led the EU’s Rule of Law Mission for Iraq until 2010.

Since then he has worked on police reforms in many countries - promoting the rule of law and the protection of human rights. He lectures in several educational institutions and has published a number of papers on related topics.

Political Activity: none

Trustees:

Jonathan Henry MBE

Jonathan is a former senior police officer with almost 32 years of service in the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. He retired as a Chief Superintendent in 2025 having enjoyed a varied career primarily within Crime Department.

Jonathan is an alumni of Queen’s University Belfast, and holds Masters degrees from both University College Dublin (MSc) and the University of Cambridge (MSt). He has fulfilled senior roles within a number of EU policing research programmes and is an alumni and former board member of the Leadership in Counter Terrorism Programme (LinCT).

Political Activity: none

Alistair McGowan

Alistair retired in December 2025 after 21 years as Chief Executive Officer of the Athletic Association & Newforge Community Development Trust, based at the sports grounds, Newforge Lane Belfast. Over the last 10 years he secured £10m of funding which transformed the facilities and infrastructure at the Newforge site.

In 2007 Alistair initiated and led the successful bid to bring the World Police & Fire Games (WPFG) to Belfast in 2013. He subsequently became Chief Operating Officer for the Games, which were the most successful Games in the 50-year history of the WPFG.

He is Chairman of the Harp & Crown Credit Union, a Governor at Ballyclare High School, a Board Member of the NI Police Fund and is a recent Past President of the Ulster Society of Rugby Football Referees.

In 2022 he was awarded a MBE for Services to Sport & Reconciliation.

Political Activity: none

Gerry McGrath

Gerry has recently retired from performing the role of PSNI District Commander of Mid-&-East Antrim with over 30 years of public service. With over two years of service in Lisnevin Youth Custody Centre, and latterly the Northern Ireland Ambulance service, Gerry then joined the RUCGC in 1996, serving in public facing uniform roles throughout Northern Ireland for almost three decades. 

During his distinguished policing career, he led both the service strategic response to hate crime and anti-social behaviour. Gerry was a highly experienced Bronze and Silver Public Order Commander, retiring as the most senior and longest serving Tactical Firearms Cadre Commander. Gerry has most recently been commended for his leadership and direction of the PSNI’s immediate and then multiagency response to the disorder in Ballymena in June 2025. 

Gerry has achieved a BSc Hons Degree in Community Youth Work, PGCE, MSc Leadership and Management and currently is the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of Newforge Athletic Association.

Political Activity: none

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