Medals and accolades are usually given to members of a police force or armed forces that deserve to have their efforts recognized by the organization that they are part of. If you are a prospective or current member of the NYPD, you may want to learn what different kinds of medals you may earn for your extraordinary services. As an experienced NYPD disqualification legal service, we have the tools and experience necessary for you to learn exactly what you might come to expect from performing your duty exceptionally. Continue reading below to learn more about some of the different NYPD medals that members could earn.
A List of All NYPD Medals
There are many different kinds of commendations that someone could earn – each for different purposes or celebrations. Before we delve into more detail on the different kinds of medals that someone could potentially earn, we would like to offer a list of the most important ones – from highest prestige to lowest prestige.
- Medal of Honor
- Police Combat Cross
- Medal for Valor
- Meritorious Police Duty
- Honorable Mention
- Exceptional Merit
- Commendation – Integrity
- Commendation – Community Service
- Meritorious Police Duty
- Excellent Police Duty
- Unit Citation
- Purple Shield
- Distinguished Service Medal
NYPD Medal of Honor
The highest distinction that someone could earn from the New York City Police Department is the medal of honor. The medal of honor is awarded to celebrate an act of exemplary service or bravery with imminent danger to life. Despite having your life at risk, this bravery is an especially high commendation because it signifies a tremendous act of valor in the face of immediate danger. When a police officer earns this award, they are usually given a solid green bar with speckled gold stars. If they are given another medal of honor, they are awarded a gold leaf. The speckled green bar with a gold leaf is the highest award that an NYPD police officer could receive.
NYPD Medal of Valor
Also known as the Medal for Valor, this award is usually awarded to people who have been recognized for performing acts of outstanding personal bravery intelligently performed in the line of duty. This is highly related to the NYPD medal of honor because it is awarded to police officers that perform their duty exceptionally in the face of immediate hazard to their life or personal safety. While it is one degree down from the Medal of Honor, it is still a rather venerated award. Someone who wins this award is given a blue bar. If a police officer wins this award twice, they are given a gold leaf to celebrate their second award.
NYPD Purple Shield
The purple shield is different from the previous two because it is usually awarded to those police officers that are injured or killed in the line of duty. In other words, this could either be given while the officer is still alive or one that is a posthumous award. The award itself is heavily based on the award of the same name given to people who are injured or killed in the United States Armed Forces. This award is a medal in the shape of a heart that is colored purple. This is a highly regarded award in police departments and the United States Armed Forces alike.
NYPD Commendation Bars
The last tier of NYPD medals that we will discuss is the commendation bars. Commendation bars are given for two different reasons – integrity and community service. The commendation bar for integrity is given to police officers that perform their duties under personal danger or have performed a highly creditable and unusual police accomplishment. The commendation bar for community service is given to police officers that demonstrate incredible devotion to community service or that work to improve conditions within the community. The commendation bar for integrity is denoted by a bronze star, while the one for community service is represented by a blue star.
More About Disqualification Appeals
Disqualification Appeals is a legal practice that helps people who are vying for a position within the NYPD to achieve their career goals but who have been served with an NYPD proposed disqualification. Whether this is through our NYPD medical disqualifications, NYPD psychological disqualification, or NYPD character disqualification, we are here to help. Contact us today to learn more about appealing a psychological disqualification and more.