Officers serve and protect their community, an honor that they choose to uphold and take great pride in. Sometimes, however, being an officer can be a thankless job, and it is hard for even the most dedicated officers to feel appreciated.
Law enforcement uses recognition awards to help officers feel seen – their sacrifices, their dedication, and the times they have gone above and beyond. Whether it’s a recognition award for years on the job or for a particularly rough call that they made right, recognition awards for police officers can help with morale, safety, and overall team unity.
Find out how a recognition program for your station can help with officer confidence and how you can get started with custom service bar holders, enamel condemnation bars, and years of service insignia to boost the officers on your team.
Types of Law Enforcement Recognition Awards
Years of Service
Given in increments of 5 years, years of service awards recognize how long an officer has served for and honors their dedication and sacrifice to the job
Marksmanship Awards
Awarded for completing weapons qualification courses, marksmanship awards recognize an officer’s outstanding ability with a weapon and may also be awarded for marksmanship competitions
Lifesaving Medals
A high honor, the award of a lifesaving medal praises and recognizes an officer for saving a life under extreme circumstances
Outstanding Commendation
When a police officer has gone above and beyond, been injured in the line of duty, or completed a notable length of service, an outstanding commendation may be awarded
Training and Development
Awarded to officers for completing new training or professional development, it is a recognition of their continued pursuit of performing at their best in the line of duty
Officer of the Month
For officers who devote themselves to duty and law enforcement service, it is an honor to be recognized for continued service and performing above the rest for that month across their state, local, or federal level
3 Reasons to Honor Officers with Recognition Awards
1) Recognition Awards Boost Morale for Officers
Recognition awards provide value to the officers in your station. When officers feel valued, their morale is significantly improved. This helps with their confidence, attendance, and overall attitude when on the job.
Officers feel proud of their role to serve and protect their community, and recognition awards show that their leaders, and their community, are proud of them, too. You can present recognition awards for their years on the job, outstanding marksmanship, or specialized service.
2) See Improved Confidence in Your Law Enforcement Station
Without recognition, no one can be fairly certain they’re doing their job right. With recognition awards representing marksmanship, sacrifice, attendance, and bravery, officers know they are truly performing their abilities at the highest level. To wear or display an award of their skills is a constant reminder that officers are performing at their best.
This leads to improved confidence, more assurance on the job, and overall better action in times of hard decision-making. With guidance from leaders, recognition awards are about telling the officers on your team they are performing at their best and giving them a constant reminder to trust their instincts and push forward with confidence.
3) Safety and Team Cooperation
At the end of the day, improved morale and better confidence make for a safer, more connected team. Law enforcement officers work together better when they are proud of their job, see the hard work of their partners, and know that everyone is performing at their best. Recognition awards allow an entire department to come together to honor each of their coworkers when they have surpassed a milestone that the station has deemed worthy of recognition.
Recognition awards help foster respect for one another, leading to a station that works better by trusting the calls their team is making. When everyone knows someone has their back, they make safer calls and work together for the most positive outcome available. Praising the hard work of each officer helps assure everyone that the department is giving its best at all times.
Starting a Recognition Program in Your Department
To begin a recognition awards program for your law department, begin with universally accepted awards that are clearly defined. Begin implementing new awards that have a clear set of criteria to reach. The awards should reflect the value of your department and the values of your officers.
In order for awards to be effective, they must be awarded. Regularly award officers as they meet the criteria and honor those who have reached the milestones.
Custom Awards from Irvin H. Hahn
As a trusted badge maker, Irvin H. Hahn is proud to present custom awards and award presentation boxes for law enforcement. Our designs are made with the highest quality materials and built to last – so the officers in your department have an award that stands the test of time.
Shop high-quality medal award boxes for a professional presentation, service bar holders to display ribbons and other awards proudly on the uniform, cloth ribbon accessories for continued display of award recognition, marksmanship shooting awards, and custom enamel commendation bars for all variety of special service.
Need a custom order and not sure if we design it? Get in touch with our team and we will work with you for the recognition awards you need for your department. Creating badges since 1898, we value quality work and are dedicated to finding a solution for you.
Irvin H. Hahn
We are a family-owned business that takes pride in being an American manufacturer for over 120 years since 1898. Located in Baltimore, MD, we have six generations of experience making handcrafted badges, buckles, cap devices, collar insignia, and other insignia for law enforcement, fire departments, and other officials.
