History
Established in 1998, the South Australia Police Service Medal recognises long and diligent service to South Australia Police: sworn and unsworn employees alike qualify with ten years of continuous, diligent and ethical service to the force after 14 February 1975. The award consists of the medal, a miniature and a ribbon bar, presented at the regular ceremonies the Government of South Australia and the force conduct together.
Longer careers are marked by the decade: employees who complete additional ten year increments receive twenty, thirty and forty year clasps. SAPOL's instructions direct serving members to wear the medal on the right breast whenever full size orders, decorations and medals are worn, keeping the left for the national honours, and its ribbon carries the blue and white verticals shared with the Tasmanian, Victorian and Western Australian police medals, the old Imperial police ribbon inverted.
Design & ribbon
The medal
The medal is a circular silver medal, 38 millimetres in diameter, surmounted by the Crown of Saint Edward. The obverse displays the piping shrike, the emblem of the Government of South Australia, surrounded by the words DILIGENT AND ETHICAL SERVICE and SOUTH AUSTRALIA POLICE. The blank reverse is engraved at its centre with the recipient's surname and initials.
The ribbon
Blue and white verticals: the Imperial police ribbon, inverted.
The ribbon is of vertical blue and white stripes, the inverse of the Imperial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal's pattern, shared with the service medals of the Tasmanian, Victorian and Western Australian police.
Clasps
Continued service is recognised by clasps at each further decade.
Clasp (20, 30 and 40 years)
A clasp is awarded on the completion of each additional ten year increment of service beyond the qualifying decade, at twenty, thirty and forty years, worn on the ribbon of the medal.
Eligibility
The medal recognises long and diligent service to South Australia Police.
- Sworn and unsworn employees who have completed ten years of continuous, diligent and ethical service to the force after 14 February 1975 are eligible;
- Twenty, thirty and forty year clasps mark each additional ten year increment;
- SAPOL directs serving members to wear the medal on the right breast on all occasions when full size orders, decorations and medals are worn. The medal sits outside the national honours system and carries no post-nominal.
Order of wear
The medal does not form part of the Australian honours system. SAPOL's instructions direct serving members to wear it on the right breast whenever full size orders, decorations and medals are worn, separate from the national honours on the left, with the force's dress policy governing the details. On civilian racks it is mounted apart from the official awards.
Frequently asked questions
What is the South Australia Police Service Medal awarded for?
Ten years of continuous, diligent and ethical service to South Australia Police after 14 February 1975, by sworn or unsworn employees.
How are longer careers recognised?
By clasps at each further decade: twenty, thirty and forty years.
Why is it worn on the right?
SAPOL's instructions direct serving members to wear it on the right breast whenever full size orders, decorations and medals are worn, keeping the left breast for the national honours.
What does the design show?
The piping shrike, the emblem of the Government of South Australia, in silver beneath the Crown of Saint Edward, within the words DILIGENT AND ETHICAL SERVICE and SOUTH AUSTRALIA POLICE.
Why does the ribbon look familiar?
It inverts the blue and white of the Imperial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal once worn by Australian police, a pattern shared with the Tasmanian, Victorian and Western Australian police medals.
Does it carry a post-nominal?
No.