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These colours will never run !

Hi, my name is Ray Bedford and this page provides a brief snapshot of who I am.

I am known by my nickname of 'Rayzor'.

Welcome to my WEB SITE.




~ 'Somewhere' out in the 'boonies' during the mid 1970's (a long time ago !!!) ~


Introduction

I have had two major careers during the past thirty years and was involved in my third when disaster struck and I became the victim of a stroke in 2006.   I was a soldier in the Australian Regular Army between the years 1972 and 1978 and a police officer from 1979 through to the year 2000.   I took early retirement after 21 years of police service and since my stroke I have been unable to work in paid employment.

Early in my military service I qualified as a military parachutist.   The attainment of this military skill qualification continues to remain an element of my military service that I am very proud of.   I

During my six years of military service I was posted to units within Training, Logistics and Field Force Commands (as they were then known).   I travelled the length and breadth of Australia either on exercise or postings.   On occasions the nature of my service brought me into contact with both civil and military police and this ultimately contributed to me joining the then Commonwealth Police.   After I had completed my initial engagement term of six years (at the beginning of 1978) I took my Honourable Discharge from the Army and began to plan for my entry into my new career in law enforcement.

In April of 1979 I joined the Commonwealth Police to undertake a new career change and to experience new challenges.   At that time and still a 'youth' at the age of 23, I had no idea that this would be the beginning of what would eventually lead to a twenty-one year career in law enforcement, one that was full of 'ups' and 'downs' with a mixed bag of exciting and sometimes dangerous events thrown in.   Overall it was a very fulfilling career for me.

I began my initial police training at the Commonwealth Police Training Centre in Canberra during the autumn of 1979.   Resulting from an inquiry in respect to federal policing and associated issues the Australian Goverment decided to amalgamate the Commonwealth Police and the Australian Capital Territory Police to form a new federal policing agency to be known as the Australian Federal Police.   The AFP's brief was to provide a community policing responsibility to the Australian Capital Territory as well as provide an enhanced national federal investigations capability within all Australian States and Territories, develop an international police peace keeping role working with the United Nations Organisation and develop an international police liaison network capability.

At the stroke of a pen I became a member of the Australian Federal Police.   A more comprehensive police training course followed, at the now Australian Federal Police College with particular emphasis on community and general policing.   After I successfully graduated from this course I was re-sworn and designated a General Duties police officer.   I remained posted in the Australian Capital Territory for almost four years.   During this time I served in numerous postings throughout the A.C.T. including a lengthy secondment to the Australian National Central Bureau of Interpol, a career highlight during my service in Canberra.

I was transferred to Queensland (National Policing) in 1982 just prior to the Commonwealth Games being held in Brisbane.   What was to be a short posting ultimately continued until the day I took early retirement from the AFP.   I served in many and varied units and branches throughout my career including General Policing, General Duties, Intelligence, Regional Operations, National Operations, Investigations, Services, Legal and Training.   In 1989 I was promoted to Sergeant and appointed to the position of Officer in Charge of Legal Services for Queensland and the Northern Territory.   I was to remain wih Legal Services for almost eight years and this period of service was another highlight of my career with the AFP.   I then transferred to the investigations portfolio where I was to lead operations as a Team Leader and on others participate as a team member.   During my service I participated in excess of 30 different courses, some held locally, some at the AFP College in Canberra and others with the Department of Defence and other organisations.

Over a period of time I became involved in training and development programmes which led to me being offered a training officer's position with the Australian Army Cadet Corps.  After much deliberation I accepted an appointment as a Lieutenant to the position of Unit Training Officer with a large cadet unit attached to a private school.   I remained with the AACC and at this unit for a period of three years achieving promotion to the rank of Captain and elevated to the position of Officer Commanding (OC).   I guess the highlight for me was to see the youth of this cadet unit develop into a cohesive group of team players (with understanding and practical application) with strong leadership qualities displayed by the senior cadets.   A number of those cadets went onto university utilising their newly acquired skills and others went onto the Australian Defence Force Academy where four years later they were to be awarded a Queens Commission with all three services being represented.

I went on to continue serving the community as a federal police officer for a total of 21 years.   At the beginning of the year 2000 I decided that it was time to move on in order to experience new challenges and so after consultation with Robyn, my wife, I decided that it was now time to experience those new challenges and to apply for an early retirement from the AFP.   During my service I was awarded the Australian National Medal for my first fifteen years of dilligent service as well as being awarded the First Clasp to the National Medal for a further ten years of dilligent service.   After early retirement I entered into a training career where I attained senior teaching / management positions with two Registered Training Organisations in Queensland, one of which was the Principal of it's training college.

I am now retired as a result of my health.     In my spare time (?) I .

Enjoy your visit to my site and please come back again soon.

Cheers !!!


Yours truly with Lieutenant General Peter Cosgrove AC MC, Chief of the Defence Force, at a
management breakfast during 2001 where General Cosgrove delivered the
keynote address on 'Leadership'.