Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal | |
---|---|
![]() ![]() Obverse and reverse of the medal | |
Type | Long service medal |
Awarded for | 20 years of service |
Presented by | the United Kingdom |
Eligibility | 20 years full or part time service as a Police Officer |
Clasps | 30 and 40 Years Service Clasp |
Status | Currently awarded |
Established | 14 June 1951[1] |
![]() Ribbon bar of the medal | |
Order of Wear | |
Next (higher) | Indian Meritorious Service Medal (British Indian Army)[2] |
Next (lower) | Fire and Rescue Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal[2] |
The Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a decoration for police officers of the United Kingdom. First instituted in 1951, the medal is presented for twenty aggregate years of service in the police services of the United Kingdom.
Criteria
The Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was instituted under Royal Warrant by King George VI in June 1951 and is awarded as a mark of the Sovereign's appreciation of long and meritorious service rendered by members of the Police Forces of the United Kingdom.[3] For an officer to become eligible for this award the Chief Constable must make a recommendation to the Home Secretary, and in doing so, is required to certify the following:
- That an officer has been a serving member of a Police Force.
- That the officer has served efficiently for the qualifying period.
- That the officer's character has been very good.
Commonwealth
In 1956 eligibility was extended to police officers serving in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Nauru.[4] In 1976 Australia replaced the award with the National Medal and, in 2010, with the National Police Service Medal.[5]
Length of service
The initial award criterion was 22 years' service as a full-time regular police officer within any Constabulary.[3]
Later, Long Service and Good Conduct Medals were introduced for the Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service, both awarded for 20 years’ service.[6] A national campaign to award the police medal after 20 years, and so bring it in line with the other emergency services, was started by Warwickshire Police Officer Kenneth Fowler, supported by Chief Officers, the Police Federations and Members of Parliament.[7][4] On 19 January 2010, Queen Elizabeth II amended the medal's royal warrant to make the qualifying period of service 20 years.[1]
Clasps
In March 2022, the Royal Warrant was updated by Queen Elizabeth II to grant clasps to officers who completed a further 10 and 20 years of long service post award of the medal.[8] This change reflected the longer service of Police Officers following pension changes and sought to recognise their extended service.[9] The two clasps are in cupronickel, and bear the inscription below:
- 'Long Service, 30 Years'
- 'Long Service, 40 Years'
Appearance
The medal is circular, 1.4 inches (36 mm) in diameter and initially issued in cupro-nickel, with modern strikings being rhodium plated. It has the following design:[4]
- The obverse bears the effigy of the reigning monarch
- The reverse has the figure of Justice with scales in her left hand and a wreath in her right surrounded by the inscription 'FOR EXEMPLARY POLICE SERVICE'.
- The suspender is straight and found in both swivelling and non-swivelling formats.
- It is engraved on the rim in impressed capital letters, with the recipients rank and name. As of circa 2006 officers from the four Welsh constabularies have the option to have their rank engraved in Welsh.
- It hangs from a dark blue ribbon, 1.25 inches (32 mm) wide, with two thin white stripes towards each edge.
- Bars for additional service of 30 and 40 years, were authorised on 11 March 2022. However officers had to be serving on this date, the award is not retrospective to officers who retired prior to this date.
Obverse variations
The medal has been awarded with one of three obverse designs:[4]
- George VI (1951–53)
- Elizabeth II 'BR OMN' (1953 to mid-1950s)
- Elizabeth II 'DEI GRATIA' (From mid-1950s)
See also
References
- ^ a b "No. 59482". The London Gazette. 7 July 2010. p. 12881.
- ^ a b "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3353.
- ^ a b Captain H. Taprell Dorling. Ribbons and Medals. pp. 118–119. Published A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. 1956.
- ^ a b c d John W. Mussell, editor. Medal Yearbook 2015. p. 256. Published Token Publishing Limited, Honiton, Devon. 2015.
{{cite book}}
:|author=
has generic name (help) - ^ National Police Service Medal, It's an Honour – Australian Government Website
- ^ John W. Mussell, editor. Medal Yearbook 2015. pp. 252 and 266. Published Token Publishing Limited, Honiton, Devon. 2015.
{{cite book}}
:|author=
has generic name (help) - ^ "Warwick policeman's campaign taken to Parliament". Leamington Courier. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
- ^ "Staff associations secure medal recognition for long-serving police officers". Police Superintendents' Association. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ "Additional Service Bar for Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal".
- v
- t
- e
meritorious
and long
service medals
Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (Australia)
Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope)
Meritorious Service Medal (Natal)
Meritorious Service Medal (New Zealand)
Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa)
Accumulated Campaign Service Medal
Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope)
Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal)
Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military)
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (South Africa)
Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830)
Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848)
Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)
Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)
Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Ulster Defence Regiment)
Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Indian Army)
Royal West African Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
King's African Rifles Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Trans-Jordan Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Indian Army)
service medals
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Fire and Rescue Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
African Police Medal for Meritorious Service
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal
Ceylon Police Long Service Medal
Ceylon Fire Services Long Service Medal
Sierra Leone Police Long Service Medal
Colonial Police Long Service Medal
Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Long Service Medal
Mauritius Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Mauritius Fire Services Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Mauritius Prisons Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Colonial Fire Brigades Long Service Medal
Colonial Prison Service Medal
Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal
Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal
Prison Services (Operational Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Ulster Constabulary Service Medal
Northern Ireland Prison Service Medal
National Crime Agency Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Police Service of Northern Ireland Service Medal
Border Force and Immigration Enforcement Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
and part-time
long service
decorations
and medals
Emergency Reserve Decoration
Volunteer Officers' Decoration
Volunteer Long Service Medal
Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies
Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal
Militia Long Service Medal
Imperial Yeomanry Long Service Medal
Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Territorial Decoration
Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
Efficiency Decoration
Territorial Force Efficiency Medal
Territorial Efficiency Medal
Efficiency Medal
Army Emergency Reserve Efficiency Medal
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Naval Wireless Auxiliary Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Long Service Medal
Air Efficiency Award
Volunteer Reserves Service Medal
Ulster Defence Regiment Medal
Northern Ireland Home Service Medal
Cadet Forces Medal
H.M. Coastguard Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Special Constabulary Long Service Medal
Royal Observer Corps Medal
Civil Defence Long Service Medal
Jersey Honorary Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Service Medal of the Order of St John
Voluntary Medical Service Medal
Women's Royal Voluntary Service Medal
South African Medal for War Services
Colonial Special Constabulary Medal