History
Tasmania Police, unified since 1899, honours its own with the Tasmania Police Medal, awarded to sworn officers for diligent and ethical service. Its design is the most Tasmanian of any Australian police award: the outline of the island itself, emblazoned with the heraldic lion at its centre, ringed by the force's name and its standard.
Long careers gather clasps by the decade: the force's own award ceremonies record a third clasp accompanying forty years of service and a fourth at fifty, the medal and its bars keeping pace with careers that span half a century. Like its mainland counterparts the medal wears its lineage on its ribbon, the blue and white verticals shared with the South Australian, Victorian and Western Australian police medals, the old Imperial police pattern inverted.
Design & ribbon
The medal
The medal is circular and nickel-silver. The obverse features the outline of Tasmania emblazoned with the heraldic lion at its centre, with TASMANIA POLICE around the central device and FOR DILIGENT AND ETHICAL SERVICE around the edges.
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 South Australian, Victorian and Western Australian police.
Clasps
Continued service is recognised by clasps marking each further decade.
Clasp (each further decade)
Clasps mark continued decades of service beyond the qualifying period, worn on the ribbon of the medal; the force's ceremonies record a third clasp presented at forty years of service and a fourth at fifty.
Eligibility
The medal is awarded to sworn officers of Tasmania Police for diligent and ethical service.
- Clasps mark continued decades of service, with the force's ceremonies recording a third clasp at forty years and a fourth at fifty;
- The force's protocol area holds the authoritative qualifying conditions;
- 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 Tasmania Police Medal awarded for?
Diligent and ethical service by sworn officers of Tasmania Police.
How are longer careers recognised?
By clasps marking each further decade: the force's award ceremonies record a third clasp at forty years of service and a fourth at fifty.
What does the design show?
The outline of Tasmania with the heraldic lion at its centre, in nickel-silver, ringed by TASMANIA POLICE and FOR DILIGENT AND ETHICAL SERVICE.
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 South Australian, Victorian and Western Australian police medals.
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 force's own award.
Does it carry a post-nominal?
No.