Ray Dudley was born and raised on W 15th street in Muncie, Indiana. He remember his parents stressing to him the importance of respect, being honest, and treating others the way that you would like to be treated.

Ray graduated from Muncie Southside High School, he then married, and worked at Muncie Scrap and Bale, in order to put his wife through school. Once she graduated Ray began attending Anderson University, studying Criminal Justice, while working in a metal shop, and the late shift at a local gas station. Then in 1990 he began working as a police reserve with the Muncie Police Department, but he feels that his involvement with law enforcement really began before that. In middle school Ray became involved with the Police Cadet program. He loved being in law enforcement, enjoying the respect, and the opportunity to serve his community.

It was with that attitude that Ray began to work in 1994 with the Hartford City Police Department, in Blackford County, working as the Community Oriented Policing Officer. During that time Ray created two programs that are still operating today, the first "Coats for Kids", and the second was the concept of Community Oriented Police Officers.

Community Oriented Policing is based off the idea that when neighbors know and care about each other they will look out for each other and work together, with the officers to prevent crime.

"When a crime is being committed it is much easier to resolve, if the neighbor calls in when something suspicious is happening, we arrive and arrest the burglar in the act, the property doesn't have to be replaced, an investigator isn't required, and most importantly everyone is safe. It is just a more efficient and better way to protect our communities."

The program is built off of a good relationship between the Sheriff's Department and the communities of Delaware County. Ray would like to see the officers know people by name, and being known by name in the areas they work. This is done by being involved in creating neighborhood watch groups, being active in the schools, with D.A.R.E., and after school programs.

In 1998, Ray began working for the Delaware County Sheriff's Office. Since then he has re-established the D.A.R.E. program, which is now funded completely by private donations, he created the Police Mountain Bike Patrol, which allows for much more personal contact and better presence on the Cardinal Greenway, and during the Delaware County fair. He was also a member of the Delaware County Emergency Response Team, the Search and Rescue team, and in his 10 years with the Sheriff's office has worked on all shifts, and has seen all the difficulties and special challenges that each shift faces.

Ray and his sons, Ray Jr., Joshua, and Jonathon. Ray has now been married to his wife, Shannon, for the last 8 years. Shannon is a BSU graduate and works for Applegate Family Dentistry. He has three sons, Ray Jr., 20, who is a junior at BSU, Joshua, 18, who recently graduated from Delta High School, and his youngest, Jonathon, 16, who is now attending Central High School. He also has two beagles and two cats.

Outside of work Ray is active in the Metro Youth Football League, volunteering as both a member of the board and also a coach. He is a member of the Muncie Sports Commission, and the Delaware County Fair board. He is also a proud and active member of UAW 321, Sons of AMVETS post 12, Freemasons. He and his family attend The Jar in Muncie, he is the Precinct Committeeman for precinct 39 and a member of Rooster Boosters, of the Delaware County Democratic Party.