Medals of the New York City Police Department

The New York City Police Department presents medals to its members for meritorious service.

[1] The medals the NYPD awards are as follows (from highest precedence to lowest): The Medal of Honor (solid green bar speckled tiny gold stars) is awarded for: The Police Combat Cross (solid green bar) is awarded for: The Medal for Valor (solid blue bar) is awarded for: The Honorable Mention (displayed wearing the MPD medal with a silver star in the middle) is awarded for: The Exceptional Merit (displayed wearing the MPD medal with a green star in the middle) is awarded for: The Commendation or Commendation—Integrity (displayed wearing the MPD medal with a bronze star in the middle) is awarded for: The Commendation—Community Service (displayed wearing the MPD medal with a blue star in the middle) is awarded for: The Meritorious Police Duty (MPD medal with no star in the middle) is awarded for: The Excellent Police Duty (green and white bar with gold vertical bars) is awarded for: The Unit Citation (medium blue bar) is awarded to a specific unit or precinct for outstanding accomplishments.

The department awards a Purple Shield to those seriously physically injured or killed in the line of duty.

The department awards the Distinguished Service Medal posthumously to members of the service who suffer death as a result of illnesses associated with duty performed under unusual hazard or demand.

Various commemorative medals, unit citations, air crew wings, and others have also been authorized for wear.