Ken Lay (police officer)

Ken Lay APM
21st Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police
In office 14 November 2011 – 31 January 2015
Preceded by	Simon Overland
Succeeded by	Graham Ashton
Personal details
Born	Kenneth Douglas Lay 17 February 1956 Korumburra, Victoria, Australia
Alma mater	Monash University
Occupation	Police officer

Kenneth Douglas "Ken" Lay, APM (born 17 February 1956 in Korumburra, Victoria) is a former Australian police officer and Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police from 2011 to 2015.^[1]

Lay was raised in the town of Korumburra in Victoria's South Gippsland region. He joined Victoria Police in 1974, serving in Melbourne at Prahran before being stationed in regional Victoria including as an Inspector in his home town.^[1]

In 2003, Lay was appointed chief of staff to Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon, then promoted to Assistant Commissioner for North-West Victoria in 2005, Assistant Commissioner (Traffic and Transit Safety) in 2008. In 2009, he became Deputy Commissioner (Road Policing)—Victoria's top "traffic cop".^[1]

In October 2009, Lay was photographed by a speed camera driving 10 km/h over the speed limit through the town of Tooborac. He kept the speeding offence under wraps due to concern about undermining a Christmas road toll campaign, but admitted his error to Chief Commissioner Simon Overland. Lay announced the speeding offence publicly in January 2010.^[2]

When Overland resigned as Chief Commissioner in June 2011, Lay was made Acting Chief Commissioner. On 14 November 2011, Premier Ted Baillieu and Police Minister Peter Ryan announced that Lay had been formally appointed as Victoria Police's Chief Commissioner.^[3]

On 29 December 2014, Lay announced he was resigning as Chief Commissioner due to his wife's illness. His resignation formally took effect on 31 January 2015, however he took leave between the announcement and his formal resignation. Deputy Chief Commissioner Tim Cartwright is acting in the role until a new commissioner is appointed.^[4]

Honours and awards

	Australian Police Medal (APM)	2007 Queen's Birthday Honours[5]
	National Police Service Medal
	National Medal & 1 Bars	[6][7]

References

1. Peter Munro (19 November 2011). "The boy from Korumburra grows up into a quiet achiever". The Age. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
2. Anthony Dowsley, Antonia Magee (15 January 2010). "Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland backs top traffic cop Ken Lay after revelation of speeding offence". Herald Sun. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
3. "Victoria gets new top cop". 774 ABC Melbourne. 14 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
4. Spooner, Rania (29 December 2014). "Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay steps down". The Age. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
5. LAY, Kenneth Douglas, It's an Honour, 11 June 2007.
6. LAY, Kenneth Douglas, It's an Honour, 3 December 1990.
7. LAY, Kenneth Douglas, It's an Honour, 31 July 1999.