NPSM Ribbon
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The National Police Service Medal (NPSM) is a special service award within the
Australian honours system The Australian honours and awards system refers to all orders, decorations, and medals, as instituted by letters patent from the Monarch of Australia and countersigned by the Australian prime minister at the time, that have been progressively ...
to provide "recognition for the unique contribution and significant commitment of those persons who have given ethical and diligent service as a sworn member of an Australian police service". The NPSM is awarded for "15 years 'ethical and diligent service' on or after 14 February 1975, or for a lesser period if that service was terminated due to the member's death, or to an impairment related to the discharge of their duties as a Constable of Police". Australian police continue to receive the National Medal to recognise their long service. Thus, at the completion of 15 years 'ethical and diligent service', a police officer may receive both the National Police Service Medal and the National Medal.


Background

The Australian Government announced that Her Majesty had given in-principle approval on Thursday 30 October 2008 for the introduction of a new award in the Australian honours and award system to recognise the special contribution made to the Australian community by police. The medal is only awarded once; there are no clasps awarded for additional periods of service. The National Police Service Medal is not an award to recognise long service. Rather, it acknowledges the ethical and diligent commitment, and the unique contribution to the community, demonstrated by sworn members of Australia’s police forces. In most Australian police forces, long and diligent service has been recognised since May 1956 with the award of the
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal The Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a decoration for Law enforcement in the United Kingdom, police officers of the United Kingdom. First instituted in 1951, the medal is presented for twenty aggregate years of service in the police ...
. Since the introduction of the Australian honours system on 14 February 1975, service has been recognised by award of the National Medal. It was estimated that over 20,000 former Australian police would be eligible for the award upon its introduction. The medal sets an uncommonly high standard for its award and retention. Although a police officer may qualify for the award and be presented with same, should their service be later found to be unethical or not diligent, in an act either before or after the NPSM was awarded to them, then the award may be cancelled at any time on the advice of their
Commissioner of Police A police commissioner is the head of a police department, responsible for overseeing its operations and ensuring the effective enforcement of laws and maintenance of public order. They develop and implement policies, manage budgets, and coordinate ...
. The award came about as a result of the lobbying of various individuals and professional bodies, but principally by the
Police Federation of Australia The Police Federation of Australia (PFA) is a peak police union body that represents the interests of Australian police officers. It was formerly registered under the Workplace Relations Act 1996 on 1 January 1998. The Canberra office was op ...
.


Description

The National Police Service Medal is 38 millimetres in diameter and 3.5 millimetres in depth. It is finished in cupro nickel with the
St Edward’s Crown St Edward's Crown is the coronation crown of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, versions of it have traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronations since the 13th ...
located on the suspender bar. The obverse (front) of the medal features the Federation Star representing the Commonwealth of Australia. The Federation Star is located inside a circular chequered band, known as the
Sillitoe tartan Sillitoe tartan is a distinctive chequered pattern, usually black-and-white or blue-and-white, which was originally associated with the Police Scotland, police in Scotland. It later gained widespread use in the rest of the United Kingdom and ov ...
, which is an internationally recognised symbol of Police. The chequered band is unbroken and surrounds the star. This design signifies the unity and cooperation between each of the individual state, federal and territory police forces, which thereby join together as a shield to protect the entire Commonwealth. The reverse (back) of the medal has two sprays of golden wattle, (''
Acacia pycnantha ''Acacia pycnantha'', most commonly known as the golden wattle, is a tree of the family Fabaceae. It grows to a height of and has phyllodes (flattened leaf stalks) instead of true leaves. The profuse fragrant, golden flowers appear in late ...
'' Australia’s national floral emblem), located immediately below a horizontal panel 25 millimetres across and 8 millimetres high. The panel is centrally located and used to record the recipient’s details. The words: ‘FOR SERVICE AS AN AUSTRALIAN POLICE OFFICER’ in capital letters appear around the inside of the outer rim. The medal ribbon draws inspiration from police awards under both the Imperial and Australian systems, including the
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal The Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a decoration for Law enforcement in the United Kingdom, police officers of the United Kingdom. First instituted in 1951, the medal is presented for twenty aggregate years of service in the police ...
, the
Australian Police Medal The Australian Police Medal (APM) is awarded for distinguished service by a member of an Australian police force. The APM was introduced in 1986, and replaced the Imperial King’s Police Medal for Gallantry and King’s Police Medal, King’s Po ...
, and the King’s/Queen’s Police Medal for Gallantry. The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and has a central yellow gold stripe 5 millimetres wide, flanked by navy blue stripes 5.5 millimetres wide, flanked by white stripes 3.5 millimetres wide, flanked by crimson red stripes 1 millimetre wide, flanked by white stripes 3.5 millimetres wide. The blue and gold are Australia's heraldic colours, defining this as an Australian award, while the blue and white are colours traditionally associated with police and police awards. The thin red stripes represent the ever-present hazards experienced in service as an Australian police officer. The medal device of the National Police Service Medal has been designed by Inspector Rick Steinborn of the
New South Wales Police Force The New South Wales Police Force is a law enforcement agency of the state of New South Wales, Australia, established in 1862. With more than 17,000 police officers, it is the largest police organisation in Australia, policing an area of 801,60 ...
(NSWPF) and the ribbon was developed by Detective Senior Constable James Cheshire of the
Australian Federal Police The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is the principal Federal police, federal law enforcement agency of the Australian Government responsible for investigating Crime in Australia, crime and protecting the national security of the Commonwealth ...
(AFP).


Order of Wear

In Australia the position of medals when worn is defined by the Order of Wearing. The NPSM appears immediately after the Civilian Service Medal 1939-1945, before all long service awards. This is in recognition that the medal is not a long service award, and is made only to sworn police officers who have provided ethical and diligent service for the entirety of their police career.


See also

*
Australian Honours System The Australian honours and awards system refers to all orders, decorations, and medals, as instituted by letters patent from the Monarch of Australia and countersigned by the Australian prime minister at the time, that have been progressively ...
* Australian Honours Order of Precedence *
National Medal (Australia) The National Medal is an Australian award given for long service by operational members of specified eligible organisations. It was introduced in 1975, as an original component of the new Australian honours system, and replaced a range of medal ...


References


External links


It's an Honour
– Prime Minister and Cabinet site
ADF Honours and Awards
– Department of Defence site
Police Federation of Australia
– PFA site {{Australian Honours System Civil awards and decorations of Australia Awards and honours of Australian law enforcement agencies 2010 establishments in Australia Awards established in 2010