History
The Queensland Police Service Medal was introduced in 1999 to recognise diligent and ethical service by members of the Queensland Police Service, and the force is explicit that it is not granted as a right by virtue of long service alone: the years must have been served well. A minimum of ten years of service as an officer earns the medal, and in 2009 the Commissioner opened eligibility to living former members whose careers predated its introduction, letting Queensland's earlier generations be recognised.
Its clasp system is distinctive: a clasp is awarded at fifteen years, and is then replaced every five years so that the ribbon always reads the total service it represents, rather than accumulating a row of identical bars. The medal is worn among the Service's own awards, alongside the national long service honours most career officers also hold.
Design & ribbon
The medal
The Queensland Police Service does not publish a formal design description for the medal; the pattern supplied is the current issue, and the photographs above show its obverse and reverse.
The ribbon
The current Queensland Police Service issue.
The ribbon follows the pattern of the current issue, shown above.
Clasps
Service beyond the qualifying decade is shown by a clasp that is exchanged at each milestone to carry the current total.
15 Years
Awarded on reaching fifteen years of service. Only one clasp is worn at a time, showing the current total.
20 Years
Awarded on reaching twenty years of service.
25 Years
Awarded on reaching twenty-five years of service.
30 Years
Awarded on reaching thirty years of service.
35 Years
Awarded on reaching thirty-five years of service.
40 Years
Awarded on reaching forty years of service.
Eligibility
The medal recognises diligent and ethical service by members of the Queensland Police Service, and is not granted as a right by virtue of long service.
- A minimum of ten years of service as an officer is required for the medal, with a clasp awarded at fifteen years and replaced every five years thereafter to show the total years of service;
- Since 2009 eligibility has extended to living former members who served in the Queensland Police Service before the medal's introduction in 1999;
- The medal sits outside the national honours system and carries no post-nominal.
Order of wear
Force and state awards do not form part of the Australian honours system. They are worn separately from the national honours in the force's own order, with the force's dress policy governing their placement. On civilian racks they are mounted as a distinct group apart from the official awards.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Queensland Police Service Medal awarded for?
A minimum of ten years of diligent and ethical service as an officer of the Queensland Police Service. The force is explicit that it is not granted automatically for long service.
How does the clasp system work?
A clasp arrives at fifteen years and is then exchanged every five years to read the current total, so a single clasp always shows the full service rather than a row of bars accumulating.
Can former officers receive it?
Yes. In 2009 the Commissioner extended eligibility to living former members who served before the medal's introduction in 1999.
How does it relate to the national long service awards?
It runs alongside them: the National Medal and the National Police Service Medal are national honours, while this is the Service's own award.
What other Queensland police awards exist?
The Service maintains a wider suite including bravery and valour awards, a meritorious service medal, and the Blue Heart Medal for members killed or seriously injured, created in 2023.
Does it carry a post-nominal?
No.