ONALASKA POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY ISSUE DATE: 01-23-01 TITLE: Awards Policy LAST UPDATE: 04-20-05 SECTION: TEXT NAME: Awards POLICY SOURCE: Awards Committee TOTAL PAGES: 5 AUTHOR: Captain Mark J. Moan SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: I. Purpose The purpose of this committee is to establish guidelines for awarding departmental employees or citizens for exceptional performance. II. Policy It is the purpose of this committee to formally recognize employees and members of the community who perform in an exceptional or meritorious manner. The Awards and Uniform Committee will review recommendations submitted for awards. The formal awards will consist of medals, ribbons, certificates, and written commendations. III. IV. Discussion Definitions V. Procedures A. Awards and Uniform Committee 1. The Awards and Uniform Committee will consist of five officers and a supervisor. The following guidelines apply to all committee members. a. The Awards and Uniform Committee members will consist of patrol officers representative of the four shifts (1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd, swing and special services) if possible. The committee will consist of the most senior officer from each shift based on applications. Applicants must have at least 3 years of service within the Onalaska Police Department. If no interest is shown from a shift to serve on the committee, officers interested will be selected by seniority after each shift has a selected representative. b. The Chairperson is responsible for scheduling and facilitating meetings. c. A quorum of three members is necessary to hold a meeting. d. An Awards and Uniform Committee member may be considered for an award but will not take part in committee deliberation. e. All awards proposed by the committee will be forwarded to the Chief for final approval. Last Updated: 8/19/2011 Awards Policy Page 1
f. If an award is returned to the committee by the Chief for further review, an emergency committee meeting will be called to address those issues as soon as is practical. g. Within 1 month of final approval, certificates or medals shall be given to the officer. h. Awards will be presented at an appropriate ceremony during CPA graduation/police Week. i. The Awards and Uniform Committee will meet quarterly at a minimum. (March, June, September, and December). j. The Awards and Uniform Committee will consist of seats 1 to 5. Each seat will have a term of 2 years. Seats 1 and 2 will rotate alternate years with seats 3, 4 and 5. B. Recommendations for Awards 1. Any individual who has personal knowledge of an act, achievement, or service and believes that such conduct may qualify for formal recognition can initiate recommendations for awards or commendations. Additional guidelines include: a. A Departmental Recognition Request (see Appendix A) should be completed and forwarded to the Chairperson of the Awards and Uniform Committee. b. Awards may also be presented to citizens for their contribution to law enforcement. C. Selection Criteria 1. The information considered by the Awards and Uniform Committee includes but is not limited to the following: a. The significance of the action, achievement, or service that improved the department s ability to accomplish its goal. b. Identify the action that clearly goes beyond the norm and/or the result of the action that improved morale, discipline, or the effectiveness of the department. 2. Recognizing that achievements should receive prompt recognition, the Chairperson of the Awards and Uniform Committee will be responsible for scheduling committee meetings to discuss the merits of an award. a. When the committee meets to discuss the merits of an award, the Chairperson will determine if any additional statements or witnesses are needed. b. The committee will discuss the information that was submitted to support the award and make a recommendation to the Chief within seven days of their meeting. c. After approval of the award by the Chief, the Chairperson of the Awards and Uniform Committee will provide the employee s commander Last Updated: 8/19/2011 Awards Policy Page 2
D. Awards with the appropriate uniform bar. The bar can be presented to the employee at an appropriate gathering of the unit members. d. The Chief or his designee will be responsible for presenting awards to civilians. 1. The Awards and Uniform Committee will consider the following awards: a. Medal of Honor, Posthumous - Presented to the family of a member who is killed in the line of duty, or who died as a result of wounds or injuries received in the line of duty. b. Purple Heart - A medal presented to any officer of the department who has been seriously, critically, or fatally injured, under honorable circumstances, while in direct performance of police duty. It will be presented in the form of a medal, ribbon, and a plaque. c. Medal of Honor - For performing an outstanding act in the line of duty at imminent personal hazard of life, with full knowledge of the risk involved. d. Silver Star of Valor - For performance of an act of distinguished bravery or the arrest of a person(s) who is a major threat to the welfare of the community and/or the officer. e. Police Star For employees who distinguish themselves by bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of duty, but to a lesser degree than required for the Silver Star. Or employees who distinguish themselves by performing in stressful situations with exceptional tactics and/or judgment. f. Life Saving Medal - For performance of an act, on or off duty, which through disregard of personal safety or prompt and alert action results in saving the life of another. g. Distinguished Service Medal - For a highly credible accomplishment that brings acclaim to the officer, the department, or the profession of policing as a result of exceptional accomplishment, training, devotion to assigned work effort, or public service. h. Meritorious Service Medal - Presented for distinguished service in a particular assignment or task, or for a continuing level of performance characterized as outstanding and worthy of commendation. Such conduct is similar to, but does not rise to the level of distinguished service, but is more meritorious than that demonstrated for a Commander s Commendation. i. Outstanding Police Service Ribbon - This award in the form of a ribbon will be awarded based on a 100- point rating system in any combination. Officers will receive 5 points for Letters of Recognition, 10 points for Certificates of Commendation 15 points for Commander s Commendation and 20 points for medals. j. Commander s Commendation - This award in the form of a certificate may be issued in recognition of some outstanding accomplishment. Last Updated: 8/19/2011 Awards Policy Page 3
k. Certificate of Commendation - This award in the form of a certificate may be issued in recognition of some exceptional accomplishment. l. Letter of Recognition - This award in the form of a letter may be issued in recognition of some noteworthy accomplishment. m. Five-Year Service Award - This award in the form of a ribbon and hash marks will be awarded to officers with at least five years on the department. Officers will receive an additional star and hash mark for every five years of law enforcement work thereafter, to include years of service in any law enforcement organization in the United States. Randy A. Williams Chief of Police Date RAW/rdm Last Updated: 8/19/2011 Awards Policy Page 4
APPENDIX A Onalaska Police Department Departmental Recognition Request Name Badge No. Date of Occurrence Case Number TYPE OF INCIDENT: Community Service Arrest Problem Solving Rescue Intelligence Other: REMARKS: RECOMMENDED BY: Member of Department Member of Community Name Badge No. Date Last Updated: 8/19/2011 Awards Policy Page 5