Dear Maryland Chiefs of Police Association Member:
The Maryland Chiefs of Police Association honors officers and security professionals each year at our annual conference. The attached nomination forms have specific criteria for the “Medal of Honor”,”Traffic Safety” and the “Exceptional Performance” awards as well as our “Scholarship” requirements.
The category breakdown listed below applies for the” Exceptional Police Performance” and “Traffic Safety” awards but will not apply to the “Medal of Honor”, “Exceptional Police Performance Unit Award” or “Exceptional Performance by a Private Security Professional” award. Please note that the categories are determined by an agency’s sworn complement only, not the total complement of both sworn and civilian.
The categories are as follows:
- Category “A” – police agencies with a sworn complement of more than 125 officers.
- Category “B” – police agencies with a sworn complement of 26 – 125 officers.
- Category “C” – police agencies with a sworn complement of 1 – 25 officers.
For your convenience the nomination forms are available below. Please submit your nominee’s name and supporting documentation between January 1, 2013 and May 31, 2013. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Captain Ellsworth Jones at 410-313-3203 or via email at: ejones@howardcountymd.gov
General Instructions for Award Submissions
- Nominations for either award should relate to activities undertaken by the nominee between January 1 and December 31, 2012 only.
- Only those nominations postmarked prior to May 31, 2013, will be considered. Nominations may also be submitted electronically to ejones@howardcountymd.gov up to the deadline date.
- Each department may nominate only one (1) member for each award. An officer nominated for the Medal of Honor may also be nominated for the Exceptional Police Performance Award.
- Nominations will not be considered unless the nomination form is completed in its entirety. Supporting documentation may be attached as deemed appropriate.
- Awards will be presented to the winners in each category during the Maryland Chiefs of Police/Maryland Sheriffs Association Training Seminar in Ocean City in September 2013.
Award Nomination Criteria - Calendar Year 2012
Medal of Honor Award
(One Award Recipient Selected Each Year)
Criteria: This is the highest award conferred upon an officer who, in a life- threatening situation, acted in a manner above and beyond the call of duty.
Commentary: This award is presented to an officer who, in a life-threatening situation displayed exceptional courage, intelligence, alertness and presence of mind. This award usually involves a single event where the nominee’s life was placed in danger while either saving a life or apprehending a dangerous felon.
Exceptional Police Performance Award
(One Award Recipient per Category Selected Each Year)
Criteria: This award is conferred upon a police officer who has made outstanding contributions toward keeping the community safe by performing an exceptional amount and/or quality of police activity, developing and implementing effective policing strategies or tactics, or conducting a skillful and tenacious investigation of a complex and difficult case.
Categories:
A – Police agencies with a sworn compliment of more than 125 officers.
B – Police agencies with a sworn compliment of 26-125 officers.
C – Police agencies with a sworn compliment of 1-25 officers.
Commentary: This award is designed to recognize exceptional work in police patrol, traffic or investigative activities. This would include designing and implementing new or improved operational strategies or tactics that solve crimes, apprehend criminals, recover stolen property or enhance public safety.
Exceptional Police Performance by a Unit/Team/Collaboration
(One Award Recipient Selected Each Year)
Criteria: This award is conferred upon a unit, team or collaboration of personnel who, in combination, made an outstanding contribution to community safety by performing an exceptional amount and/or quality of police activity, developing and implementing effective strategies or tactics, or conducted a skillful and tenacious investigation of a complex and difficult case.
Commentary: This award is designed to recognize exceptional work by a Unit, team or collaboration of personnel in police patrol, traffic or investigative activities. This would include designing and implementing new or improved operational strategies or tactics that solve crimes, apprehend criminals, recover stolen property or enhance public safety.
Exceptional Performance by a Private Security Professional
(One Award Recipient Selected Each Year)
Purpose:
To recognize a Maryland area Security Officer who excelled in the discharge of their duties by taking exemplary on-duty action to protect life and/or property.
Eligibility:
Any individual working in a paid position, directly and primarily responsible for providing security-related services to persons and/or property. Law enforcement officers and Security Administrators are not eligible for this award.
Criteria:
The successful candidate will:
- Have demonstrated the ability to perform the day-to-day functions of a security officer with demonstrated empathy toward the citizens he serves.
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Be devoted to duty beyond the requirements of the job which included security duties, customer service, professionalism, community activities, and enhancing the image of the organization.
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Have positive supervisory performance evaluations for the year under consideration.
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Have produced quality work and demonstrated above average initiative in the performance of his duties.
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The nominee shall be considered for a year’s worth of work, not just one particular incident.
The private security professional may be nominated by his employer or site manager. The selection committee will be looking for:
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A security officer who is well rounded
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A security officer who has exceeded above and beyond the duty requirements of his/her position
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A security officer who exemplifies the virtues of professionalism and dedication
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A security officer who has demonstrated a distinct pattern of customer and community service above and beyond assigned duty requirements
Traffic Safety Award
(One Award Recipient per Category Selected Each Year)
Criteria: This award is conferred upon a police officer who has made substantial contributions towards traffic safety. The award is not based solely on enforcement numbers, but on purpose driven enforcement that answers an identified community issue through a mixture of enforcement, commitment and educational efforts.
Categories:
A – Police agencies with a sworn compliment of more than 125 officers.
B – Police agencies with a sworn compliment of 26-125 officers.
C – Police agencies with a sworn compliment of 1-25 officers.
Commentary: The award is designed to recognize exceptional traffic enforcement efforts, including: traffic enforcement conducted, criminal arrests from traffic stops (Looking Beyond the License Plate) and an officer’s clear demonstration of a commitment to traffic safety.
That commitment may be demonstrated via the following criteria:
1. Involvement in educating other officers and/or the public on traffic safety.
2. Initiating and/or participating in traffic safety programs.
3. Exceptional Overall Enforcement efforts.
4. Problem solving or administrative projects that make a substantial contribution to traffic safety.
5. Any combination of the above factors.
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Scholarship Opportunities
Each year the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association offers a Scholarship Award opportunity to full-time post-secondary education students enrolled in a law enforcement curriculum. Residents of the State of Maryland between the ages of 17 and 21 may compete for this prestigious $500.00 scholarship award. Selection of the scholarship recipients will be based on scholastic achievement and community/school involvement. (All scholarship funds will be directed to a college or trade school and not to the individual.)
Completed applications must be returned to a sponsoring local Police Chief for review and signature. The Chief must then forward the application to me, in my role as the Awards Committee Chairman, no later than May 31, 2013 to be considered for the upcoming school year. Eligible nominations will be reviewed by the Awards Committee and one or more winners will be selected. The award notice will be mailed to the scholarship winner/s and a formal award presentation will be made to the recipient by the nominating Chief.
If you have any questions regarding the Scholarship Award, please feel free to contact me at (410) 313-3203.
Sincerely,
Captain Ellsworth Jones
Commander - Criminal Investigations Bureau
Howard County Police Department
MCPA Awards Committee Chairman