Don't let your officers go unnoticed.  Nominate them today for one or many of the awards available from the association.  

Awards available by the association include:

1. The Police Cross
2. Police Medal of Honor
3. Distinguished Service Medal
4. Citizen's Medal of Valor
5. Chief's Professional Service Award 

Awards that are available to be purchased and adopted by Local Departments:

1. Departmental Citation
2. Certificate of Merit
3. Police Heart Award
4. Life Saving Award
5. Commendations
          a. Individual Commendations
          b. Departmental Unit Commendations
6. Safe Driving Award
7. Marksmanship
8. Civilian Awards
          a. Civilian Citation
          b. Civilian Commendation
          c. Certificate of Appreciation

 

 

The Police Cross: To be awarded posthumously to an officer who has lost his life in the performance of his duty under honorable circumstances.  The Police Cross may be awarded in addition to other awards an officer may receive for his actions, which led to his death.
          Medal and Certificate
               Ribbon: None (Ribbon attached to the medal will be black)

 

Police Medal of Honor: To be awarded to an officer who voluntarily distinguishes himself by extraordinary heroism.  The officer must have been fully aware of the imminent threat to his personal safety, and have acted above and beyond the call of duty at the risk of his own life.  May be awarded posthumously.
          Medal and Certificate
               Ribbon: White and Blue in Frame (blue worn closest to officer's heart)

 

Distinguised Service Medal:  To be awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct involving exemplary courage, great risk, and danger to the officer's personal safety, but less than required for the Police Medal of Honor.  May also be awarded for meritorious service in the performance of an assignment of great responsibility, the execellence of such performance distinguishing both the officer and his department.  
          Medal and Certificate
               Ribbon: White and Red in frame (red to be worn closest to officer's heart)

 

Citizen's Medal of Valor:  To be awarded to private citizen's who voluntarily come to the aid of a police officer or another citizen at great personal risk of their own lives in situations arising out of criminal activity wherein the citizen involved has no personal motive or stake in the outcome.
          Plaque

 

Chief's Professional Service Award:  To be awarded to the Chief's of Police (or other agency heads) who retire or die following a career of honorable service and who:

     a. were active voting members of the W.V.C.P.A.;

          Certificate Award

     b. or, were active voting members of the W.V.C.P.A. for more than five years and served on committees for at
         least two years;

     c. or, were active members for more than ten years.

The Chief's Professional Service Award shall be presented at a meeting of the local legislative body (city council, township board, etc.) or at a retirement party by a representative of the W.V.C.P.A.

 

Departmental Citation:  To be awarded to a police officer for:

     a. outstanding performance of a difficult task involving personal risk to the officer's safety when, because of the
         officer's actions, a serious crime is prevented or the perpetrator is apprehended;

     b. or, outstanding contributions to law enforcement through the success of difficult police programs, projects or
         situations, such contributions being made at a high degree of professional excellence;

     c. or, other outstanding actions of a nature, which bring unusual credit to the department and its members.

          Certificate and Ribbon
               Ribbon: Blue/White/Blue

 

Certificate of Merit:  To be awarded to a police officer for:

     a. Outstanding performance of duty under unusual or difficult conditions.  The action need not involve exposure
         to physical danger, but must involve the protection of life or property, and involve unusual thoroghness,
         conscientiousness, determination and initiative;

     b. or, meritorious action of a nature which would not be eligible for a higher award;

     c. or, (to an officer of another law enforcement agency) if earned while aiding, assisting, or working in conjuction
         with an officer of the awarding department;

     d. The Certificate of Merit should not be awarded in conjunction with any other award for the same service or
         deed.

          Certificate and Ribbon
               Ribbon: Red/White/Red

 

Police Heart Award:  May be awarded to police officers or other uniformed employees who sustain serious injury in the line of duty.

     a. Officer must have been actively engaged in a police activity at the time of injury, and it must be of sufficient
         gravity to require professional medical treatment.

     b. This award is primarily intended to recognize officers who are injured as a result of felonious assualts, but the
         department may also consider other injuries resulting from fires, explosions, etc. as valid justification.

     c. The department should not consider injuries sustained from falls on ice, motor vehicle accidents, etc., except
         in cases where evidence clearly indicates that the officer exercised all responsible safety precautions and had
         no reasonable control over the circumstances.

     d. The department must not consider any injury sustained as a result of or concurrent with any conduct by the
         injured officer, which is less than fully acceptable by all standards.

          Certificate and Ribbon
               Ribbon: White/Purple/White/Purple/White

 

Life Saving Award:  To be awarded to an officer for the saving of human life.

     a. Intended for officers directly responsible for the saving of a human life.

     b. Documentation and other supportive evidence such as statements from physicians, witnesses, or supervisory
         officers should be included with original recommendation.

     c. If an officer's action led to the prolonging of life to the extent that the victim was released to the care of
         medical authorities, he is eligible to receive this award even though the victim may expire at a later time.

     d. May be awarded in Addition to other awards.

          Certificate and Ribbon
               Ribbon: Red/White/Red w/ Red Cross on White

 

Commendations:

     a. Individual Commendations:  May be presented to police officers or civilian personnel who have performed
         efficient and valuable service to the department, either in carrying out a specific task, or in the performance of
         general duties over an extended period of time.

          Certificate and Ribbon
               Ribbon: Black/White/Black/White/Black/White/Black

     b. Departmental Unit Commendations:  May be awarded in recognition of outstanding police services
         performed by any departmental unit; may be presented in addition to an individual award growing out of the
         same action.

          Certificate and Ribbon
               Ribbon: White/Blue/White/Blue/White/Blue/White

 

Safe Driving Award:  To be awarded to those officers whose driving practices have exhibited sufficient ability to avoid chargeable accidents.

     a. Eligibility - All members of the department whose primary responsibility normally requires them to operate
         motor vehicles on a relatively regular basis.

     b. Criteria - This award is based upon five-year increments; the years within each increment must be
         consecutive.  To receive an award, an officer must have five consecutive years without a chargeable accident
         other than those of a very minor nature in the opinion of the awarding agency.

     c. Awards will be given for each five-year increment, i.e. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30.  While the years within each
         increment must be consecutive, the increments need not be consecutive.  For example, an officer with a 10-
         year award who has an accident in his twelfth year does not lose the entire 12 years; instead, he begins a  
         new increment the following day and works toward his 15-year award for which he will be eligible in an
         additional five years.

           Certificate and Ribbon
               Ribbon: Green/White/Green w/ Gold number on White (5, 10, 15, 20, etc.)

 

Marksmanship:

     a. W.V.C.P.A. should establish a statewide qualification criterion for marksmanship awards by individual
         departments so that such awards will be uniformly earned throughout the state.

     b. Marksmanship medals should continue to be provided by the local departments.

 

Civilian Awards:

     a. Civilian Citation:  May be awarded to civilians whose actions result in:

          i. The prevention or solution of a serious crime;
         ii. The apprehension of a dangerous criminal;
        iii. Other meritorious action such as life saving or assistance to an officer with disregard for the recipient's
            personal safety.

          Certificate

     b. Civilian Commendation:  For presentation to individuals or organizations who have supported the
         department, or who have made major significant contributions to the cause of good law enforcement.

          Certificate

     c. Certificate of Appreciation:  Upon recommendation of any command officer, the Chief may issue a
         Certificate of Appreciation to any deserving individual for a deed which is worthy of recognition, but which does
         not fall within other award guidelines.

          Certificate