National Police Service Medal Regulations
The Regulations outline:
- the nationally significant emergencies (and how they are declared)
- the process for deciding on an award; and
- the circumstances when an award may be cancelled or reinstated.
National Police Service Regulations
1. Name of Regulations
These Regulations are the National Police Service Medal Regulations 2010.
2. Definitions
In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears:
Australian police force means the following:
(a) a police force or service of a State or Territory;
(b) the Australian Federal Police (within the meaning of Part 2 of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979).
Commissioner, of an Australian police force, means a person holding, occupying or performing the duties of the office of the head of that force.
Medal means the National Police Service Medal instituted under the Letters Patent establishing these Regulations.
member, of an Australian police force, means a sworn police officer of that force.
Minister means the Minister of State administering the Australian Federal Police Act 1979, or a Minister acting for and on behalf of that Minister.
Registrar means the Registrar mentioned in regulation 10.
State has the meaning given by paragraph 17 ( o) of the Acts lnterpretation Act 1901.
Territory has the meaning given by paragraph 17 (p) of the Acts lnterpretation Act 1901.
3. Award of Medal
(1) The Medal may be awarded to a person who:
(a) is or was a member of an Australian police force on or after 14 February 1975; and
(b) the Commissioner making the recommendation for the award is satisfied has given ethical and diligent service in 1 or more Australian police forces; and
(c) has given service as a member of 1 or more Australian police forces, whether on a full-time or part-time basis:
(i) for a period of service of at least 15 years; or
(ii) for periods of service totalling at least 15 years.
(2) A person is taken to meet the condition in paragraph (1) (c) if:
(a) the person died while a member of an Australian police force; and
(b) in the opinion of the Commissioner of the force, the person died as a result of service in 1 or more Australian police forces.
(3) A person is taken to meet the condition in paragraph (1) (c) if:
(a) the person has been a member of an Australian police force; and
(b) in the opinion of the Commissioner of the force of which the person was last a member, the person could not continue to serve because of an injury or disability that the person sustained as a result of service in 1 or more Australian police forces.
(4) The other conditions for the award of the Medal are as determined by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister.
(5) The Prime Minister must consult the Minister before advising the Governor-General for the purposes of subregulation (4).
4. Award of Medal has no effect on entitlement to other awards
The award of the Medal does not affect the entitlement of a person to any other award.
5. Making of Awards
(1) An award of the Medal may be made only by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Commissioner of the Australian police force of which the person is, or was last, a member.
(2) The Commissioner must not make a recommendation under subrcgulation (1) unless the Commissioner is satisfied that all of the person's service in an Australian police force was ethical and diligent.
(3) An award of the Medal may be made posthumously.
6. Cancellation of award
(1) The Governor-General may cancel an award of the Medal to a person on the recommendation of the Commissioner of the Australian police force of which the person is, or was last, a member.
(2) The Commissioner may make a recommendation under subregulation (1) if, in the Commissioner's opinion, some or all service by the person as a member of an Australian police force was not ethical and diligent.
(3) The Commissioner may make a recommendation under subregulation (1) if:
(a) the award of the Medal was made in reliance on subregulation 3 (3); and
(b) the person awarded the Medal has become a member of an Australian police force.
(4) Subregulations (2) and (3) do not limit the grounds on which the Commissioner may make a recommendation under subregulation (1).
(5) If an award of the Medal is cancelled, the person holding the Medal must return it to the Registrar.
7. Reinstatement of award
(1) The Governor-General may, on the recommendation of the Commissioner of the Australian police force whose Commissioner recommended the cancellation of the award of the Medal, reinstate an award of the Medal.
(2) If an award of the Medal is reinstated, the Registrar must reissue the Medal to the person to whom it was awarded.
8. Design of Medal
The design of the Medal is the design detennined by the Governor-General.
9. Wearing of Medal
The manner of wearing the Medal is as determined by the Governor-General.
10. Registrar of Awards
(1) The Governor-General must appoint a Registrar of Awards.
(2) The Registrar must:
(a) maintain a Register of the names of persons to whom the Medal has been awarded; and
(b) note the following in the Register:
(i) the cancellation of an award of the Medal;
(ii) the reinstatement of an award of the Medal; and
(c) keep such other records relating to the Medal as determined by the Governor-General.
11. Delegations
(1) The Commissioner of an Australian police force may, in writing, delegate the power to make a recommendation for an award of the Medal to a person from time to time holding an office that is:
(a) an office in the force; and
(b) specified in the instrument of delegation.
(2) The Commissioner of an Australian police force for which a delegation has been made under subregulation (1) may, in writing, revoke the delegation.
(3) In this regulation:
holding an office includes:
(a) occupying that office; or
(b) performing the duties of that office.