President's Police Medal

Last updated
President's Police Medal (Highest Honour in Police)
IND President's Police Medal for Gallantry.png
Ribbon for gallantry
IND President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service.png
Ribbon for distinguished service
TypePolice decoration
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
Presented bythe President of India
Post-nominalsPMG(Gallantry)

GM (Gallantry) PSM(Service)

MSM(Service)
Established1 March 1951;73 years ago (1951-03-01)
Order of Wear [1]
Next (lower)
  • President's Police / Fire Service Medal for Gallantry
  • President's Police / Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service

The President's Police Medal is a decoration awarded to members of law enforcement in India. Established on 1 March 1951, the medal was originally called the President's Police and Fire Service Medal. The medal is awarded for either gallantry or distinguished service, with the gallantry version of the medal being accorded a higher precedence. The medal is awarded annually on Republic Day and Independence Day.

Contents

History

Awards and honours of the Commonwealth realms ceased to be awarded in India after the promulgation of the Constitution of India on 26 January 1950. Upon becoming a republic, it was necessary for India to establish its own honours system. For police, that meant replacing the King's Police and Fire Service Medal and the Indian Police Medal. The President's Police Medal was established 1 March 1951 by the President of India. Originally, the medal was called the President's Police and Fire Service Medal. At the same time a lower ranking decoration was established, the Police Medal. Eligible service for the medals was made retroactive to 26 January 1950. [2]

Criteria

Gallantry

The President's Police Medal for Gallantry is awarded for, "gallantry in saving life and property, or in preventing crime or arresting criminals." The medal may be awarded to any member of a police service in India, and is awarded without regard to rank or time in service. Recipients of the medal are granted a monthly stipend that is paid to them even in retirement, and upon the recipient's death it continues to be paid to their surviving spouse. [3]

Distinguished service

The President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service is awarded for long and distinguished service to individuals who have served at least 21 years in the police service or in the central police and security organizations. Individuals must be prior recipients of the Police Medal for Meritorious Service and must have held that medal for at least six years. [2] [3]

Appearance

The Police Medal is made of bronze and is circular in shape, 1 38 in (35 mm) in diameter. The obverse of the medal bears the State Emblem of India in the centre with the words POLICE MEDAL above and the state motto, सत्यमेव जयते ( Satyameva Jayate ) in Devanagri script below. On either side of the medal are two five-pointed stars separating the inscription. The reverse of the medal bears a wreath with the words INDIAN above and POLICE below. In the centre is inscribed either FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE or FOR GALLANTRY, depending on the conditions of the award. The recipient's name is inscribed on the rim of the medal.

The ribbon of the medal is 1 38 in (35 mm) wide in dark blue, with silver edges and a broad central stripe of crimson. Awards presented for gallantry have thin silver stripes splitting the dark blue sections in half. [4]

Related Research Articles

The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth version existing for acts of joint military service performed under the Department of Defense.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the British Empire</span> British order of chivalry established in 1917

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Conduct Medal</span> Award

The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military decoration, ranking below the Victoria Cross, until it was discontinued in 1993 when it was replaced by the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. The medal was also awarded to non-commissioned military personnel of other Commonwealth Dominions and Colonies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Service Medal (United Kingdom)</span> Military award for bravery and resourcefulness at sea

The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) was a military decoration awarded until 1993 to personnel of the Royal Navy and members of the other services, and formerly to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, up to and including the rank of Chief Petty Officer, for bravery and resourcefulness on active service at sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Force Medal</span> Award

The Air Force Medal (AFM) was a military decoration, awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force and other British Armed Forces, and formerly to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy". The award was discontinued in 1993 when all ranks became eligible for the Air Force Cross (AFC) as part of the reform of the British honours system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Empire Medal</span> British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service

The British Empire Medal is a British and Commonwealth award for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown. The current honour was created in 1922 to replace the original medal, which had been established in 1917 as part of the Order of the British Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashoka Chakra (military decoration)</span> Indias highest peacetime military decoration

The Ashoka Chakra is India's highest peacetime military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action, or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra (PVC) and is awarded for the "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice" other than in the face of the enemy. The decoration may be awarded either to military or civilian personnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Police Medal</span> Award

The King's Police Medal (KPM) is awarded to police in the United Kingdom for gallantry or distinguished service. It was also formerly awarded within the wider British Empire, including Commonwealth countries, most of which now have their own honours systems. The medal was established on 7 July 1909, initially inspired by the need to recognise the gallantry of the police officers involved in the Tottenham Outrage. Renamed the King's Police and Fire Services Medal (KPFSM) in 1940, it was replaced on 19 May 1954 by the Queen's Police Medal (QPM), when a separate Queen's Fire Service Medal was also instituted. The current award was renamed the King's Police Medal following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 and the accession of King Charles III to the throne of the United Kingdom.

The order of wear for decorations and medals of Canada is published by the Governor General of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaurya Chakra</span> Indias third highest peacetime military decoration

The Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct action with the enemy. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, sometimes posthumously. It is third in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards and comes after the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra. It precedes the Yudh Seva Medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirti Chakra</span> Award

The Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra. It is second in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards, comes after Ashoka Chakra and before Shaurya Chakra. Before 1967, the award was known as the Ashoka Chakra, Class II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Gallantry Medal</span> United Kingdom decoration awarded for exemplary acts of bravery

The King's Gallantry Medal (KGM), formerly the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM), is a United Kingdom decoration awarded for exemplary acts of bravery where the services were not so outstanding as to merit the George Medal, but above the level required for the King's Commendation for Bravery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orders, decorations, and medals of India</span> Award

The Indian honours system is the system of awards given to individuals for a variety of services to the Republic of India. The categories of awards are as follows:

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 for Distinguished Service.

The King's Fire Service Medal, introduced in 1954, is awarded to members of the fire services in the United Kingdom for distinguished service or gallantry. It was also formerly awarded by Commonwealth countries, most of which now have their own honours systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal</span> Military award in India given for exceptional service of the highest order in war-time.

The Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal is India's highest wartime distinguished service decoration. It is awarded for the highest degree of distinguished service in an operational context, which includes times of war, conflict, or hostilities. The award is a war-time equivalent of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, which is India's highest peacetime distinguished service decoration.

The Overseas Territories Police Medal (OTPM), known as the Colonial Police Medal (CPM) until April 2012, is a medal awarded for gallantry or distinguished service to all ranks of police forces and organised fire brigades in British Overseas Territories, and formerly in Crown Colonies and British Dependent Territories. Police officers in these areas can also be awarded the higher ranking King's Police Medal. The CPM was first awarded in 1938.

The Armed Forces of India are eligible for many military decorations awarded for extraordinary bravery and distinguished service during times of war and peace. Service and campaign medals have been awarded throughout India's history as an independent state.

The Indian Police Medal (IPM) was an award of the British Raj presented to both European and Asian police personnel. Established in 1932, the award was presented for meritorious service and gallantry that was of a lesser degree than what was required for the King's Police Medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medals of Sierra Leone (1961–1971)</span>

A number of new Sierra Leonean medals were instituted in the decade from 1961, when the country gained independence, until 1971, when Sierra Leone was declared a republic.

References

  1. "Precedence Of Medals". indianarmy.nic.in/. Indian Army. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Chapter XIX, Rewards and Medals" (PDF). police.pondicherry.gov.in. Puducherry Police. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Medals & Decoration" (PDF). mahapolice.gov.in/. Maharashtra State Police. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  4. https://police.py.gov.in/Police%20manual/Chapter%20PDF/CHAPTER%2019%20Rewards%20and%20Medals.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]