Sergeant David Raymond BM APM is one of Australia’s most experienced police dog handlers, with a distinguished 36-year career in policing—26 of those years spent working alongside canine partners on the front line. His extensive experience and leadership in the field of police dog operations have earned him national and international recognition.

David’s expertise has taken him beyond Australian borders, including recent deployments to Cambodia, where he was invited to assist in training detection and tactical dogs for the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC). He has also been sought after for canine training programs in other overseas countries.

Throughout his career, David has been involved in numerous high-risk operations and critical incidents. His bravery and service have been recognised with a host of awards including Australian Bravery medal, QPS Valour Award, Australian Police medal, Commendation for Brave Conduct, Meritorious Service Medal and other prestigious commendations. David also played a key leadership role in developing detection dog programs across regional Queensland. Many of the high-stakes operations for which he received commendations were undertaken with his beloved police dog, Vader, by his side.

Sergeant Raymond’s career is a testament to courage, loyalty, and the extraordinary bond between handler and dog.