Indian Police Medal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Indian Police Medal |
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|---|---|
 Original ribbon, used for meritorious awards after 1945  Ribbon for gallantry awards 1945–1950 |
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| Type | Police decoration |
| Eligibility | Members of the police forces of India |
| Awarded for | Distinguished Conduct (1932–1944) Meritorious Service or Gallantry (1945–1950) |
| Status | No longer awarded after 1951, replaced by Police Medal |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 23 February 1932 |
| Order of Wear | |
| Next (higher) | Indian Order of Merit (Civil) (gallantry) Imperial Service Medal (meritorious) |
| Next (lower) | Ceylon Police Medal for Gallantry (gallantry) Ceylon Police Medal for Merit (meritorious) |
| Related | Overseas Territories Police Medal |
The Indian Police Medal (IPM) was a special award given in British India to police officers. It was created in 1932 to recognize police members for their brave actions or excellent work. This medal was for achievements that were important but not quite at the level needed for the even higher King's Police Medal. It was given to both European and Asian police personnel.
Contents
History of the Police Medal
Police forces in India needed more ways to recognize their brave and hardworking members. While the King's Police Medal already existed, many acts of courage and service were very important but did not meet its strict requirements.
So, on February 23, 1932, a special rule was made to create the Indian Police Medal. This new medal was designed to honor both acts of great bravery (called gallantry) and excellent, noteworthy service.
At first, only 200 of these medals could be given out each year. However, in 1942, the Viceroy of India was allowed to increase this number to 250 in special situations. The Indian Police Medal stopped being awarded after India became an independent republic. It was replaced by the Police Medal on March 15, 1951.
What the Medal Looked Like
The Indian Police Medal was round and made of bronze.
The Front of the Medal
The front side of the medal showed a picture of the king or queen who was ruling at the time. This picture is called an effigy.
The Back of the Medal
The back of the medal had a wreath, which is a circle of leaves, around its edge. A crown was placed at the top of the wreath. In the middle, words were written to explain why the medal was given. It either said FOR GALLANTRY (for bravery) or FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE (for excellent work). The very first medals given out had the words FOR DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT.
The Medal's Ribbon
The ribbon for the medal was about 35 millimeters (1.375 inches) wide. It was dark blue with silver edges. A bright crimson (red) stripe ran down the center. If the medal was given for bravery, the blue parts of the ribbon also had a thin silver stripe through them.
