Honorary degree for Ray Whitrod ANU Chancellor Peter Baume and Vice-Chancellor Deane Terrell presented an honorary Doctor of laws to Ray Whitrod in Adelaide last month. Prof Terrell said the award was in recognition of distinguished creative contributions in the service of society. In the award citation Prof Terrell said Mr Whitrod is held in high regard by all those who value law and justice in Australia. "The esteem in which he is held is best captured by the words of Duncan Chappell and Paul Wilson in their book, Australian Policing: Contemporary Issues: 'This book is dedicated to Ray Whitrod - a courageous and vindicated fighter for integrity and policing.' "The dedication explains that this 'vindication' refers to his 'long and lonely battle against a deeply entrenched corrupt police under his command', an issue over which in 1976 he felt obliged to resign as Commissioner of Police in Queensland, and on which his stand was vindicated in the late 1980s by the Royal Commission presided over by Justice Tony Fitzgerald. "Ray Whitrod has distinguished himself as a police officer of the highest integrity in his various capacities as Director of the Commonwealth Investigation Service (1953-1960), Commissioner of Commonwealth Police (1960 - 1969), Commissioner of Police of the Royal Papua and New Guinea Constabulary for the Territory of Papua and New Guinea (1969 -1970), and Commissioner of Police in Queensland (1970 - 1976). His administration as Commissioner of Police of the Royal Papua and New Guinea Constabulary was distinguished by tact and humanity in the face of problems characteristic of the late colonial era. His approach to policing also has been characterised by a deep concern for the education of police, a concern often resisted by colleagues and subordinates. "In this he led by example, maintaining a continuing commitment to academic achievement throughout his life. In addition to a Bachelor of Economics (1963), he holds a Master of Arts in Sociology from The Australian National University (1972) and a Diploma of Criminology from the University of Cambridge at a time when such achievements were unusual distinctions in his profession." Prof Terrell said that since leaving policing as a career, Mr Whitrod had returned to university, first as a Visiting Fellow in the Department of Sociology at The Australian National University (1977-1981) and subsequently as a Residential Scholar at the University of Adelaide (1992-1995). Mr Whitrod has been recognised for his service and achievements through many awards, including being made a Member and subsequently Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1963, winning the Queen's Police Medal in 1967 and being made Queenslander of the Year in 1972. In 1987 Ray Whitrod was made a Member of the Order of Australia and in 1993 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia.