PITTSBURG POLICE Departmental Uniform Awards Chart & Regulations

Posted:  5 Sep 13
Updated:  7 Sep 13
Reposted:  16 May 14 -- In honor of National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day

Purposes

This bulletin publishes images and titles of meritorious uniform decorations authorized for wear by specially honored sworn officers of the Pittsburg Police Department.

This bulletin has been updated to include the regulations which describe what each decoration is for. These regulations are below the included chart.

Rationale

Have you ever wondered what the various ribbons mean that decorate our Police Officer's uniforms, over the left pocket (over the heart)?  So have I.   In general, they mean that the officer has done something special and the Department wants us to know about it.

Well, thanks to the chart and set of regulations which Chief Addington has supplied us, we have a more specific answer, and we can now know what those ribbons are for when we see them.  As to their actual meaning, in each specific case, for each deserving officer, there is a full story of faithful service and supreme achievement behind every one of them.

Besides, in my humble opinion, these wonderful officers deserve to know that we know.

David Nelson

Please allow a few extra seconds for the chart to load.

PPD Ribbons

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POLICE POLICY MANUAL

Note:  Subsections in red are changes to the manual

1030.4.1 TYPES OF AWARDS

(a) Gold Medal of Valor - The Department's highest award for valor is merited when the following elements exist:

1. Outstanding bravery above and beyond that expected in the line of duty.
2. Where failure to take such action would not justify censure.
3. Where risk of life actually existed and the officer had sufficient time to evaluate that risk.
4. Where the objective is of sufficient importance to justify the risk.
5. Where the officer accomplished the objective or was prevented by incurring a disabling injury or death.

(b) Silver Medal of Valor - The Department's second highest award for valor is merited when the following elements exist:

1. Where the officer manifests outstanding bravery in the performance of duty under circumstances not within the provisions required for a Gold Medal of Valor.
2. Where the officer risks his or her life with full and unquestionable knowledge of the danger involved or where a reasonable person would assume his or her life was in great danger.
3. Where the objective is of sufficient importance to justify the risk.
4. Where the officer accomplished the objective or was prevented by circumstances beyond his or her control.

(c) Bronze Medal of Valor - The Department's third highest award for valor is the Bronze Medal of Valor. The members of the Awards Committee shall evaluate the objective, the risk, the degree of danger and determine by their vote whether a silver or bronze medal of valor shall be granted.

(d) Meritorious Conduct Award - The Meritorious Conduct Award is merited by making an investigation and arrest in a serious felony case when it is shown that the arrest was made possible by diligent and painstaking research on the part of the officer, and it clearly appears that the officer correctly weighed and evaluated all the clues and circumstances at his/her disposal. This award does not consider arrests made solely on the information of an informant.

(e) Life Saving Award - This award may be conferred after review by the Awards Committee when the following criteria are met:

1. An officer directly intervenes in a medical emergency by administering first aid.
2. The intervention directly resulted in the saving of the victim's life. 

(f) Chiefs Commendation - This commendation may be granted by the Police Chief to officers for acts done in the performance of their duties. The Awards Committee may also grant this commendation for noteworthy acts which, in their judgment, do not fall within the criteria of other formal awards listed in this section.

(g) Distinguished Service Award - This award shall be granted to any sworn employee who has served with the Pittsburg Police Department for any continuous (10) ten year period with no record of disciplinary action.

(h) Firearm Enforcement Pin – This is award shall be granted on an annual basis to those officers who display exceptional effort in keeping firearms out of the hands of criminal offenders. The requirement for this award is (3) self-initiated firearm-related arrests in one calendar year, or the identification of a gun trafficking ring resulting in an arrest and the seizure of (2) or more firearms.

(i) 10851 (Auto Theft) Pin - This award program was started by the California Highway Patrol to recognize all sworn officers in the State of California for success in the recovery of stolen vehicles [click here to see]. This award shall be granted on an annual basis to those officers who meet the following criteria in one calendar year: (6) separate in custody arrests for occupied stolen vehicles, or (12) stolen vehicle recoveries of any kind, of which, at least (3) must be occupied stolen vehicles, or developing information which results in the identification of an auto theft ring, leading to the arrest of (2) or more suspects and the recovery of at least (10) vehicles.

(j) Drunk Driving Enforcement Award - This award shall be granted on an annual basis to those officers who display exceptional DUI enforcement skills. The requirement for this award is (24) Twenty-Four on-view DUI arrests in (1) one calendar year.

(k) Safe Driving Award - This award shall be granted to any sworn employee who has had no, “At Fault," collisions while on-duty for a period of (4) four consecutive years.

(l) Officer of the Year - The recipient of this award shall be selected annually through nominations submitted to the Chief of Police by all supervisors. Once the nominations are received the top nominees will be posted and voted upon by all department members who wish to do so. Only one vote may be cast by each department member, without exception. Only non-supervisory personnel are eligible for this award. Sworn members are not eligible to receive this award more than once every (3) three year period and cannot be nominated again during that period of ineligibility.

(m) Civilian Employee of the Year - This award shall be granted to any non-sworn employee through the same processes and criteria listed above for Officer of the Year. Civilian supervisors are not eligible for nomination. The intent of this award and the award above it to recognize and honor members who display the greatest work ethic and professional attributes as recognized by all members of the organization.

(n) Commanding Officer's Complimentary Report - This report will be merited by an officer who performs his/her duty in a manner showing dedication and service above that normally demanded by the Department, but not meeting the qualifications necessary for a Medal of Valor, Meritorious Conduct Award, Police Chiefs Commendation, or Lifesaving Award. The officer's commanding officer may make a complimentary report of the incident to the Chief of Police. After approval by the Chief, the report shall become a part of the officer's permanent personnel record.

(o) Military Service Ribbon – This ribbon may be worn by all personnel who served or who are serving honorably in the United States Armed Forces.

(p) Physical Fitness Award- See Section 1031.1

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