ELIZABETH R
ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her Other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:
TO ALL to whom these Presents shall come,
GREETING:
WHEREAS it is desirable that there be instituted an Australian medal for the purpose of according recognition to members of Australian police forces for distinguished service:
KNOW YOU that we do by these Presents institute a medal to be designated and styled the Australian Police Medal:
AND WE DO ordain that the award of the medal so instituted shall be governed by the Regulations Governing the Award of the Australian Police Medal set out in the Schedule.
IN WITNESS whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.
GIVEN under the Great Seal of Australia at Our Court at Government House, Canberra on 3 March 1986
By Her Majesty’s Command,
BOB HAWKE
Prime Minister
Schedule
Regulations Governing the Award of the Australian Police Medal
Short title
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Australian Police Medal Regulations.
Interpretation
2. In these Regulations—
“Australian police force” means the Australian Federal Police or the police force of a State or Territory of the Commonwealth;
“Medal” means the Australian Police Medal.
Design of Medal
3. The design of the Medal shall be as prescribed.
Conditions for award of Medal
4. (1) The Medal shall be awarded only for distinguished service by a member of an Australian police force.
(2) The Medal shall not be awarded to a member of a police force if the award would result in the number of awards made during a calendar year to members of that force exceeding one award for each thousand, or part of one thousand, members of that force serving on 30 June in the year immediately preceding that calendar year, together with one additional Medal.
Awards
5. (1) An award of the Medal shall be made by the Governor-General and notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette.
(2) The Medal shall not be awarded to a member of a police force except upon the nomination of the responsible Minister for that force.
(3) For the purpose of sub-regulation (2), the responsible Minister for a police force is—
(a) in the case of the Australian Federal Police—the Minister of State of the Commonwealth administering the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 or a Minister of State of the Commonwealth acting for and on behalf of the first-mentioned Minister;
(b) in the case of the Police Force of a State—the Premier of that State or a Minister of the Crown of that State acting for and on behalf of the Premier; and
(c) in the case of the Police Force of a Territory—the Chief Minister of that Territory or a Minister of that Territory acting for and on behalf of the Chief Minister.
Wearing of the Medal
6. The manner of wearing the Medal shall be as determined by the Governor‑General.
Designation of holder of Medal
7. Persons to whom the Medal has been awarded are entitled to have the letters “APM” placed after their names on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary.
Register of awards
8. (1) There shall be a Registrar of Awards who shall be appointed by the Governor-General and shall maintain a register of the names of persons to whom the Medal has been awarded.
(2) The Registrar shall keep such other records relating to the award of the Medal as the Governor-General directs.
Cancellation and reinstatement
9. (1) The Governor-General may cancel the award of the Medal to a person and may restore an award so cancelled.
(2) Where an award of the Medal is cancelled, the name of the person to whom the award was made shall be erased from the Register kept for the purpose of regulation 8 and that person shall return the Medal to the Registrar.
(3) Where an award that has been cancelled is restored, the Registrar shall restore the entry in the Register that had been erased.
Overview
The Australian Police Medal Regulations, enacted in 1986, were introduced to establish an Australian medal to recognise distinguished service by members of Australian police forces. The Australian Police Medal Regulations were enacted by Queen Elizabeth II under the authority of the Australian Government and were designed to fill a gap in recognising the outstanding service and dedication of members of Australian police forces. The policy objective of the Regulations is to ensure that the Australian Police Medal is awarded fairly and sparingly, reflecting the exceptional nature of the service it recognises. The Regulations govern the award of the Australian Police Medal, including the conditions for eligibility, the nomination process, the wearing of the Medal, the designation of holders, and the maintenance of a register of awards.
Scope and Application
The Australian Police Medal Regulations pertain to the Australian Federal Police and police forces of the various states and territories, recognising distinguished service by members of these forces. The award is limited to one for each thousand members of a force, with an additional one allowable per force, as calculated based on the number of members serving on 30 June of the year prior to the award. Awards are made by the Governor-General upon nomination by the relevant Minister, with the Australian Federal Police being nominated by the Minister administering the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 or a delegate, and state and territory police forces by the Premier or a delegate. The Governor-General also determines the wearing of the Medal and appoints a Registrar of Awards to maintain a register of recipients and any records as directed. The Governor-General has the authority to cancel an award and may reinstate it, with the recipient required to return the Medal upon cancellation and re-instatement of the award being recorded in the Register.
Key Provisions
The Australian Police Medal Regulations (1986) set out the rules for the awarding of the Australian Police Medal (APM) to members of Australian police forces in recognition of distinguished service. The main provisions are detailed from section 1 to section 9 of the Regulations. Section 1 provides for the short title of the Regulations, while section 2 contains the interpretation of key terms such as "Australian police force" and "Medal." Section 3 specifies the design of the Medal, while section 4 outlines the conditions for the award, which includes only awarding for distinguished service and limiting the number of awards to prevent excessive distribution. Section 5 details the process of making the award, including the requirement for nomination by the responsible Minister and notification in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Section 6 states that the manner of wearing the Medal is to be determined by the Governor-General, and section 7 provides that recipients are entitled to use the letters "APM" after their names. Section 8 mandates the appointment of a Registrar of Awards who will maintain a register of recipients and keep records as directed by the Governor-General. Lastly, section 9 allows for the cancellation and reinstatement of awards by the Governor-General, including the erasure of names from the register and the return of the Medal upon cancellation.
The Regulations impose several obligations and requirements on the parties involved. The responsible Minister for each police force must nominate members for the award, ensuring that nominations are made in accordance with the conditions set out in section 4. The Governor-General is responsible for making the final award, maintaining the design of the Medal, and determining the manner of wearing it. The Registrar of Awards must keep an accurate register of recipients and any other records as directed by the Governor-General. Members who receive the Medal must adhere to the rules regarding the wearing of the Medal and the use of the title "APM" after their names. Furthermore, any member whose award is cancelled must return the Medal to the Registrar and have their name erased from the Register.
Breaches of the Regulations could lead to various consequences, though specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the text. However, the authority to cancel and reinstate awards provided in section 9 suggests that misconduct or failure to meet the conditions for the award could result in the revocation of the Medal. The return of the Medal and the erasure of the recipient's name from the Register highlight the seriousness of such breaches. While the exact penalties are not stated, the potential for disciplinary action or other consequences remains, as the Regulations aim to maintain the integrity and prestige of the Australian Police Medal.