Colleagues farewell retiring Commissioner By Tracey Dickerson

OMMISSIONER Peter McAulay was farewelled by fellow colleagues at a din­ ner at the Lakeside Hotel on Friday May 20, 1994. About 200 guests showed up to farewell the Commis­ sioner from a 43-year police career.

Peter McAulay began his polic­ ing career in 1951 as a Junior Constable in the Police. Prior to this he had worked as assistant paymaster in the office of General Motors-Holdens.

Mr McAulay said he had never been one for ambition and was prepared to work his way up the ladder along with the rest. Deputy Commissioner Brian Bates makes a presentation to Commissioner Peter After serving in a number of McAulay at the Commissioner’s farewell dinner in Canberra on May 20. general duties positions and com­ Northern Territory Police. He worsened over the years of his munity postings, both in uniform said that he was surprised to get policing career. He likened polic­ and as a detective, Peter McAulay the job, but that it was the only ing to the medical profession was appointed to the rank of time he had aspired to go up whereby there has been great Inspector in 1966. He was the more than one rank at a time. advancement in terms of break­ youngest police officer to hold throughs and technology. Unlike the rank at the time. Peter and Avril McAulay have medicine however, which has lived near the village of Bungen- Mr McAulay did two tours of come ahead in leaps and bounds dore near Canberra since his duty in Cyprus, the first in 1968 stamping out many diseases and appointment as Commissioner of as a member of the Australian finding treatments for many the AFP six years ago. Police Contingent to the United more, crime has accelerated and Nations and the second in 1970 Mr McAulay told the Canberra the criminals themselves are as a police advisor at the invita­ Times-. “I have no regrets about using progressing technology to tion of the Secretary General to my career. We live in a new age their own advantage. the UN. During this period, now. If I was starting as a young Mr McAulay said that his wife is a Peter McAulay had under his man faced with a range of keen gardener and horse woman command, a multinational force options I’d probably choose and that country life was suitable of Austrians, Danes, Swedes and something else. to both of them - a respite from Australians. the complicated world of Com­ “I’ve always felt that I was per­ He said one of the biggest turn­ forming a public service and that monwealth crime. For reasons of ing points in his life occurred on health however, Mr and Mrs my greatest motivation was to Cyprus. Mr McAulay met Avril McAulay are thinking about mov­ Holdstock who was the principal seek a just outcome to every investigation,” he sadd. ing closer to the coast, so may of the British Services School. shortly leave the local region. Mr They would later marry. According to Mr McAulay, the McAulay told the Queanbeyan Age, In 1978 Mr McAulay was only thing he has any sorrow “At last I’ll be able to do some appointed Commissioner of the about is that the crime rate has fishing.” □

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