The current decorations and medals of the Sri Lanka Police were adapted from those of the Dominion of Ceylon in 1972 when Sri Lanka became a republic.
The United Nations Medal for participation in:
Sir Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke was a Sri Lankan statesman. Having served as an important figure in the gradual independence of Ceylon from Britain, he became the third Governor-General of Ceylon (1954–1962). He was the first Ceylonese individual to hold the vice-regal post.
The Sri Lankan Armed Forces award medals and their associated ribbon bars in recognition of various levels of service, personal accomplishments and commemorative events while a regular- or volunteer serviceperson is a member of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force. Together with military badges, such awards are a means to outwardly display the highlights of a serviceperson's career.
The Parama Weera Vibhushanaya (PWV) is Sri Lanka's highest military decoration, awarded for acts of exceptional valour in wartime. Parama Weera Vibhushanaya translates as the ""Decoration of Supreme Heroism", and the award is granted for "individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery of the most exceptional order in the face of the enemy". Corporal Gamini Kularatne, was the first recipient. As of January 2021, the medal has been awarded 31 times, of which all were posthumous and arose from actions in the Sri Lankan Civil War. Of the 31 awardees, 28 have been from the Sri Lanka Army, two have been from the Sri Lanka Navy and one has been from the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal was a service medal of Ceylon from 1968 to 1972. It was granted to all ranks of the regular forces of the Ceylon Army, Royal Ceylon Navy and Royal Ceylon Air Force provided they had completed 12 years of service. It was replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal in 1972 when Sri Lanka became a republic.
Lieutenant Colonel J.A.L Jayasinghe PWV, WWV, RWP, RSP, SF was an officer of the Special Forces Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army who was twice decorated with the Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya (WWV) the second highest award for combat bravery in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. He was killed in November 2008, while leading an eight-man Special Forces team on a covert operation 30 km behind enemy lines into territory held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The three services have around 346,700 active personnel; conscription has never been imposed in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Coast Guard is also under the purview of the Ministry of Defence and its members are all from the Sri Lanka Navy.
General Shantha H.S. Kottegoda, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP is a retired senior Sri Lanka Army officer. He was the seventeenth Commander of the Sri Lankan Army from 1 July 2004 – 5 December 2005. He had served as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil and Thailand. In April 2019, following the Easter Sunday bombings he was appointed as the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.
The Janadhipathi Police Weeratha Padakkama is awarded to police officers in Sri Lanka for gallantry or brave performance of duty. It is awarded by the President of Sri Lanka on the recommendations of the Inspector General of Police (IGP). The medal replaced the Queen's Police Medal which was awarded until Ceylon became a Republic in 1972.
The Sri Lanka Police Weeratha Padakkama is awarded to police officers in Sri Lanka for gallantry or brave performance of duty. It is awarded by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). The medal replaced the Ceylon Police Medal for Gallantry which was awarded until Ceylon became a Republic in 1972.
The Sri Lanka Police Vishishta Seva Padakkama is awarded to senior police officers in Sri Lanka for Meritorious Performance of Police duties. It is similar to the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. The medal replaced the Ceylon Police Medal for Meritorious Service which was awarded until Ceylon became a Republic in 1972.
The Ceylon Police Medal was awarded to police officers of the Ceylon Police Force, with two versions: for gallantry and for meritorious service. The number of medals for meritorious service was limited to a maximum of ten a year.
The Ceylon Police Long Service Medal was awarded to police officers in Ceylon of and below the rank of Chief Inspector for completing 18 years of unblemished service. Bars for 25 and 30 years service were also awarded.
General Lionel Piyananda Balagalle RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, VSP was a senior Sri Lankan army officer. He served as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Chief of the Defence Staff.
Rear Admiral Y. N. Jayarathna, RWP, RSP, USP is a retired Sri Lankan naval officer and hydrographer. He served as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy and Joint chief Hydrographer to the Government of Sri Lanka, former Commandant of the Naval and Maritime Academy and Commanding Officer, 4th Fast Attack Flotilla.
The 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal was a military decoration awarded by the Military of Sri Lanka to servicepersons of all actively serving ranks in both the regular and volunteer forces in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Sri Lanka's Independence from the United Kingdom, on the 4 February 1998. A formal recommendation from service commanders was required for the award of the medal.
Major General Priyanka Fernando, RWP, USP, is a former senior Sri Lanka Army officer. He has served as the Director General of General Staff (DGGS); General officer commanding (GOC), 58 Division; Commandant of the Ranaviru (veterans) Resource Centre; Director of Rehabilitation; and the Director of Real Estate and Quartering. He served as the Colonel of the Regiment of the Mechanized Infantry Regiment and was the Sri Lankan Minister Counsellor (Defence) in London.
Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, RSP and Bar, VSV, USP is a Sri Lankan senior naval officer. He is the current Commander of the Navy of the Sri Lanka Navy.
Major General Galwaduge Janaka Laksiri Waduge, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndu is a retired Sri Lankan senior army officer. He was the 10th Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Central and the former Colonel commandant of Military Intelligence Corps. He retired from active service in 2020 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 55 for Sri Lankan Armed Forces Personnel.
The Sewa Padakkama is a service medal awarded to servicepersons of the Military of Sri Lanka, for services to the nation and its development following the conclusion of the Sri Lankan Civil War in May 2009.
Prior to 1956 the Sri Lankan armed forces received honours of the United Kingdom, including military decorations and campaign medals. Since 1981 Sri Lanka introduced its own honours system. This has resulted in a new system of Sri Lankan honours, military and police awards, and campaign medals.