GENERAL ORDERS LINCOLN POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: PERSONNEL
TITLE: COMMENDATIONS & AWARDS
EFFECTIVE DATE: JUNE 1, 2025
REVISION DATE:
ACCREDITATION: ALABAMA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE (AACOP)
APPROVAL: CHIEF DARREN E. BRITTON
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COMMENDATIONS & AWARDS
1015.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy provides general guidelines for recognizing commendable or meritorious acts of members of the Lincoln Police Department and individuals from the community.
1015.2 POLICY
The Lincoln Police Department has established this policy to formally acknowledge exceptional individual achievements, performance, proficiency, heroism, and service of its members through commendations, awards, designation, and Specialized unit bars and /or pins.
Note: All awards, designations, and Specialized unit bars and /or pins are displayed, in this policy, in gold for ranking Officers but will be issued in silver for non-ranking Officers.
1015.3 COMMENDATIONS
Commendations and Awards for members of the Department may be initiated by any department member or by any person from the community. See attachment: LPD AWARDS PROGRAM FORM DF 1886.pdf
1015.4 CRITERIA
A meritorious or commendable act may include, but is not limited to:
Superior handling of a difficult situation.
Conspicuous bravery or outstanding performance.
Any action or performance that is above and beyond typical duties.
1015.4.1 DEPARTMENT MEMBER DOCUMENTATION
Members of the Department should document meritorious or commendable acts. The documentation should contain:
(a) Identifying information:
For members of the Department - name, division, and assignment at the date and time of the meritorious or commendable act.
(b) A brief account of the meritorious or commendable act with report numbers, as appropriate.
(c) The signature of the member submitting the documentation.
1015.4.2 PROCESSING DOCUMENTATION
Documentation regarding the meritorious or commendable act of a member of the Department should be forwarded to the Chief of Police or his or her designee for his/her review.
The Chief of Police or the authorized designee will present the commendation to the department member for his/her signature. The documentation should then be submitted to Professional Services for entry into the member's personnel file.
1015.5 AWARDS
Awards may be bestowed upon members of the Department. These awards include:
AWARD OF MERIT - is the highest award given to a sworn officer of the Lincoln Police Department for Valor in protecting the Citizens and fellow officers of the City of Lincoln.
Purple Heart Award - is a distinctive award presented to a member who honorably in the line of duty sustains any serious bodily injury or permanent disfigurement, permanent or protracted impairment of the function of any body part, or permanent or protracted health impairment. This may be presented posthumously to a member who received a fatal injury.
In the event that this award is to be presented posthumously, it shall be in the order set forth below:
Widow/Widower
Oldest surviving child
Mother
Father
Oldest sister or brother
Lifesaving Award - is available for officers who display actions that may have greatly contributed to saving one's life.
FBI National Academy Graduate - may only be worn by those who have successfully completed and graduated from the FBI's National Academy.
Chief's Superior Leadership Award - is presented to any member at the discretion of the Chief of Police for leadership excellence in the performance of duty and/or honorable conduct and professionalism in pursuit of the department's mission.
Excellence in Police Service Award - is presented to any member who makes a significant contribution above and beyond the ordinary call of duty over a period wherein the member's diligence, teamwork, perseverance, and problem-solving ability exemplify the highest standards.
Senior Officer Award - is presented to any member who has served the Lincoln Police Department for a period of no less than ten years.
Active/Veteran Military Service Award - is presented to any member who has honorably or is currently serving in a branch of the U.S. Military.
Criteria for each award and the selection, presentation, and display of any award are determined by the Chief of Police.
PLACEMENT HIERARCHY
AWARD IMAGE
NAME OF AWARD
Award of Merit
Purple Heart Award.
Lifesaving Award.
FBI National Academy Graduate
Chief's Superior Leadership Award.
Excellence in Police Service Award.
Senior Officer Award
Active/Veteran Air ForceMilitary Service Award.
Active/Veteran ArmyMilitary Service Award.
Active/Veteran Coast GuardMilitary Service Award.
Active/Veteran Marine CorpsMilitary Service Award.
Active/Veteran NavyMilitary Service Award.
1015.6 DESIGNATION BARS AND PINS
The following are designations to be worn by personnel who have special assignments within their Division:
PLACEMENT HIERARCHY DESIGNATOR PIN IMAGE NAME OF PIN
Executive Officer to the Chief of Police
Public Information Officer
Training Coordinator
Training Instructors
Field Training Officer
Chief Firearms Instructor
Firearms Instructor
Intelligence Officer
Office of Professional Services
Peer Support Officer
Morale Officer
Morale Committee Member
Negotiator
Chaplin
Recruiting Officer
Honor Guard
Special Investigations Unit
Traffic Homicide
Criminal Investigations Division
Technical Services/AI UnitNon-Drone Pilot
Park Patrol
Bike Patrol
Reserve Officer
Animal Control Officer
1015.7 WEARING OF AWARDS AND DESIGNATION BARS AND PINS
The wearing of award bars and/or pins is optional.
The award and designation bars may be worn at any time on any Full Dress or Class A uniform as indicated in the proper hierarchy placement guideline.
Professional Services will maintain a chart with the correct hierarchy for award bar placement.
The award bars must be displayed from highest to lowest as indicated in the hierarchy placement guideline; this will help maintain a professional appearance and adherence to proper uniform standards.
Only applicable departmental award bars and pins will be issued.
1015.7.1 SPECIALIZED UNIT PINS
The pins worn by specialized units must be centered above the nameplate on the right side of the Class A and Full Dress uniforms.
When wearing award and/or designation bars, one must ensure that the specialized unit pins are placed above them in a centered manner.
Specialized Unit Pins images:
Aviation Services Unit
Pin Image
Name of Pin
Aviation Services Wings
Master SWAT Operator 10+ yrs
Senior SWAT Operator 5+ to less than 10- yrs
SWAT OperatorEntry to 5- yrs
Pin Image
Name of Pin
UAS Pilot Service Pin
1015.8 HIERARCHY PLACEMENT GUIDE
Hierarchy Placement 1-32 is listed for Placement in Positions A – F on the Full Dress Uniform and Positions A – C on the Class A Uniform.
(a) Example:
If you are in your Full Dress Uniform and have bars 1, 3, 8, 13, 15, and 24, then they would be in positions 1-A, 3-B, 8-C, 13-D, 15-E, and 24-F.
If you are in your Class A Uniform and have bars 1, 8, and 24, then they would be in positions 1-A, 8-B, and 24-C.
1015.9 CITIZEN AWARDS
The Chief of Police may present the following awards to individuals not employed by the department:
(a) Meritorious Conduct -A certificate is awarded to a non-member in situations where the same conduct by a member would have resulted in recognition.
(b) Certificate of Appreciation - A certificate is awarded to a non-member in situations where the same conduct by a member would have resulted in recognition of an Excellence in Police Service Award or the Chief's Superior Leadership Award.
These policies and operating procedures are not designed to cover every possible scenario or situation in society, but rather to define standard operating procedures for members of the Lincoln Police Department. These guidelines are subject to past, present and future judicial review. These guidelines can be amended and or repealed by the Chief of Police as necessary. The policies and procedures herein provided supersede all previous policies and orders.
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