Fighting crime is a tough job reserved for police and other law enforcement officials. When it comes to keeping our society safe and free of danger, they always answer the call with bravery and courage. Police officer recognition awards are important for showcasing the department and community’s appreciation for the daily sacrifices law enforcement officers have to make.
One of the best ways to make police and other personnel feel special and important is by offering law enforcement awards. Choose from one of our hundreds of unique combinations of police awards, police sculptures, law enforcement plaques, and more. Get the ball rolling on law enforcement appreciation in your area.
What Is Law Enforcement All About? Celebrating Our Heroes
Law enforcement, including police officers, keeps towns and cities safe from violent crime and theft. Without those who enforce the laws that our society upholds, people could get away with anything. This doesn’t make for a sanitary, safe, and civilized society. Thanks to police officers and other law enforcement personnel, we can enjoy a better world.
This field is also about personal sacrifice. Law enforcement officers are the “good guys” who fight the “bad guys.” This often comes with numerous tradeoffs for the officers. Long hours, safety hazards, and dangerous situations plague law enforcement on a daily basis.
That’s why it’s so important to give out police officer awards and other types of law enforcement honors. You can show your appreciation to local heroes, giving them the boost they need to continue protecting your town or city.
Top 12 Police Officer Recognition Awards
Police officers lay their lives on the line to protect adults, children, and families everywhere. When it comes to police recognition awards, the more personalized and unique, the better. Here are the 12 best types of police awards to give away at your local station or specific department.
1. Police Officer of the Year Award
This prestigious and honorable award is versatile and communicates your municipality’s appreciation for one officer’s outstanding service. You can gift this as an Officer of the Year plaque or choose one of our other relevant awards.
The Police Officer of the Year Award goes to the officer who routinely offers courageous and brave services to the public. Fighting crime and maintaining order isn’t easy, and this recipient surely deserves this annual honor.
Our Policeman Glass Plaque is a good choice for this prestigious award. The police figure on the award showcases your department’s gratitude for this officer’s exceptional dedication. It’s like this honor was made for the recipient.
2. Officer of the Month
If you wish to scale down from Police Officer of the Year, try giving out Officer of the Month plaques as well. Our Police Officer Shield Plaque works best for this frequent honor. It allows you to recognize each Officer of the Month recipient’s commitment to public safety and service.
Include the recipient’s title (ex: Deputy, Sheriff, etc.) in the award inscription, and make sure you recognize the years it’s taken this officer to achieve their current position. After all, career advancement is not easy. After winning Officer of the Month, the recipient is sure to feel motivated and appreciated at your station.
3. Veteran Officer Award
Do you know an officer who has dedicated their entire career to your municipality? They deserve the Veteran Officer Award. Veteran officers have been in the game for a long time, and they’ve racked up plenty of career accomplishments along the way. Our Laser Engraved Glock Award and Police Officer Appreciation Crystal Diamond Award are both perfect selections for this honor.
Make sure you include a heartfelt inscription for this award. Veteran officers make the local area much safer and help teach new folks entering the police force. Without them, the legacy of a safe and stable society couldn’t pass on to the new generation.
Inscription ideas:
- “Thank you for your long-standing commitment to our municipality. Please accept this great honor!”
- “It’s an honor to have you on the force. Thank you for your X years of exceptional service!”
- “Serving and protecting the public isn’t easy, and you’ve done it with grace for (number) years. Congratulations on being a Veteran Officer in our district!”
- “Your commitment to our municipality does not go unnoticed. Thanks for being a Veteran Officer in (municipality/district name).”
Always include the professional title and first and last name of the recipient on the award. No matter which premium EDCO award you choose for this honor, the recipient is sure to cherish it for decades to come.
4. Crisis Management Award
Law enforcement officers who keep their cool in moments (or hours) of crisis deserve recognition. If there’s been a recent tragedy or local crisis that an officer handled with grace, you can give them this award. The Crisis Management Award goes to an officer who has demonstrated exemplary stability under pressure. They took a red-hot situation and moved it into a cooler, calmer state. This kind of work takes courage.
Our Law Enforcement Crystal Award is sophisticated and sleek, which fits the bill perfectly for this prestigious honor. Recipients of the Crisis Management Award deserve to feel appreciated and supported for their tremendous efforts in times of hardship. Reward their resilience and methodical thinking with this gorgeous crystal award.
Inscription ideas:
- “In honor of your exemplary management of recent crises in the local area. We recognize and appreciate your service!”
- “Thank you for employing your logical and methodical thinking during moments of crisis. You inspire us!”
- “Effective crisis management takes courage, skill, and expertise. You’ve displayed all three in a recent situation. Well done!”
When it comes to law enforcement awards, it’s important to be specific in your praise. Let the recipient know exactly what it is that you admire about their service. Include the recipient’s title and first and last name, as always.
5. Greatest Mentor Award
Mentorship in law enforcement is key to building a cohesive, effective squad. Do you know an officer who mentors young trainees and helps them become their best professional selves? They deserve the Greatest Mentor Award. With this honor coming their way, they’ll be even more motivated to shape new minds entering the force.
Our American Leadership Award Crystal adds a wonderful touch to this honor, featuring an American Flag in the background. Use this prestigious piece to symbolize your department’s deep gratitude for the recipient’s mentorship and leadership skills.
Inscription ideas:
- “Thank you for being the best mentor and leader to new eager minds entering our department. We appreciate all that you do.”
- “Your part in shaping fresh minds will pay off immensely. Thank you for all that you do!”
- “Your mentorship skills are unmatched. You bring a warm heart and knowledgeable mind to the table for your mentees. Thank you for all that you do!”
These warm, heartfelt inscriptions will remind the recipient that all the hard work they’re doing now will have a positive impact on the world around them. Mentorship can be draining, but this officer makes it look easy.
6. Community Engagement Award
Some law enforcement officers go above and beyond to engage the community in connection-building activities. These professionals deserve a reward. They spend their time on and off the clock dedicating themselves to community improvement. When a community works together, it stays together, remaining strong in the face of hardship.
The Community Engagement Award goes to an officer who regularly performs community service of some kind. This could involve organizing festive activities during the holidays or hosting public speeches.
Choose from any of our law enforcement plaques or other awards to celebrate this recipient’s dedication to the community. Then, add your own inscription or use one of these meaningful suggestions:
- “Thanks for all that you do to bring our community together. We appreciate you!”
- “Your hard work out in our community does not go unnoticed. Let us celebrate you for engaging our community 24/7!”
- “Please accept this award in honor of your top-tier community engagement skills. We couldn’t be more grateful for you!”
- “Congratulations on bringing the community together in times of turmoil. We recognize your superb efforts!”
The more connected a community feels to its law enforcement officers, the more everyone’s quality of life improves. This award will inspire other officers to get out and connect with their communities more often.
7. Guardian of the City Award
Working in law enforcement means working tirelessly to provide a better, safer city for everyone. This Guardian of the City Award goes to an officer who establishes hard guidelines for public behavior and who fights crime regularly. They are known as the Guardian of the City due to their tenacity and selflessness in the face of tough situations.
We recommend the Crystal 9mm Handgun Trophy for this honor. It conveys a sense of widespread protection and sacrifice on behalf of the officer who receives it.
Inscription ideas:
- “You keep our city safe and help us all sleep better at night. Thank you for what you do!”
- “Crime is no match for you. Thanks for being the ultimate Guardian of the City.”
- “Your bravery and tenacity are unmatched. Thanks for guarding our city with all of your heart!”
- “Your dedication to protecting and serving in our area is inspiring. Thanks for being Guardian of the City!”
This officer displays incredible bravery every single day. They aren’t afraid to protect what they love and cherish, and they deserve this award.
8. Heart of Gold Award
Being in law enforcement requires toughness and hard boundaries. However, the heart of the job is about protecting and serving the community. Some police officers can seamlessly blend their incredible compassion and empathy with the harder parts of the job. This award is for them.
The Heart of Gold Award celebrates officers who give back to the community and practice compassion wherever they go. Maybe they’ve recently saved someone from hurting themselves or completed a volunteer project in the community. Regardless of what their wonderful accomplishments are, they deserve special recognition.
Inscription ideas:
- “Your heart of gold really shines through in all that you do. Thanks for being you!”
- “Without your compassion and empathy, our community wouldn’t be as bright. Thank you for being your wonderful self every day!”
- “Your selflessness and compassion are unmatched. We see that and appreciate all that you do for everyone!”
Notice how these inscriptions focus on the officer’s character and not specific professional achievements. While their professional achievements likely play a role in their overall personality, you should emphasize and humanize the officer’s core self. Doing so will convey your sincere gratitude for all of the compassion that they regularly show others.
9. Team Unification Award
This is one of many group law enforcement awards you can give out. Special task forces who work on group projects that end successfully deserve recognition for their excellent cooperation skills. Without team unification, nothing would get done the right way. Celebrate your team’s relationships by gifting them the Team Unification Award.
We have several high-quality awards, trophies, and plaques that could make this award come to life. Customize your order based on the specific achievements the receiving team is celebrating.
Inscription ideas:
- “You worked as a team flawlessly on (project name). Way to go!”
- “At (department/station name), we appreciate your interpersonal skills and ability to cooperate on tough projects. Well done!”
- “Thanks for coming together as a unit to get (project name) done. Way to go!”
- “In honor of your excellent cooperation and communication skills. We appreciate you!”
Highlight the group’s strengths using positive adjectives like the ones listed above. You want to make sure everyone feels included in the receipt of this honorable award.
10. K9 Excellence Award
K9 awards celebrate an officer’s exceptional relationship with their canine companion. While on the job, police dogs must perform at the top of their game. This is often guided by a wonderful police officer who loves and cares for the dog deeply. Our wide selection of K9 awards makes it possible to celebrate this award in style.
Our German Shepherd K9 Award was made to recognize this incredible honor. The police dog statue represents the hardworking, courageous canines in law enforcement everywhere — and their owners.
On this award, you’ll want to include the dog’s name along with its officer’s information. Call out any specific achievements as well, or use general positive descriptors to convey your recognition. You can also use this award to reward K9 excellence as an officer retires, making it a versatile and well-loved gift for any law enforcement official.
11. Years of Service Recognition Award
Every law enforcement officer has dedicated their life to protecting and serving the community. This career often lasts for decades, spanning numerous economic and social conditions. That’s why recognizing years of service is so important and appreciated among officers everywhere.
Our Crystal Service Award Plaque is one of the best custom police plaques we offer. The gorgeous crystal will glint in both natural and artificial light, making it a timeless object to sit on the recipient’s shelf of honor.
We recommend gifting the Years of Service Recognition Award at the following intervals:
- 1 year
- 5 years
- 10 years
- 15 years
- 20 years
- 25 years
- 30 years
- 35+ years
- Lifetime (50+ years of service)
These milestones are incredibly important in a police officer’s career. They’ll surely cherish this honorable award and admire it for years to come.
12. Posthumous Award of Honor
Sadly, there are times when law enforcement officers sacrifice their lives in the line of duty. Their families and coworkers will forever grieve their loss. The Posthumous Award of Honor is designed to celebrate and recognize a deceased officer’s honorable contributions to the world. This award can also be gifted to honor a deceased law enforcement canine.
Almost all of our crystal awards will provide a high-quality token of your appreciation for the deceased officer or canine. Crystal awards are heavier and reflect more light, making them most appropriate for this somber honor.
Leave out the word “posthumous” when crafting the title and engravings for this award. The families of the deceased don’t need another reminder of what they’ve lost. Instead, present this as simply the Award of Honor, recognizing the ultimate sacrifice this officer or canine made.
Inscription ideas:
- “In honor of (officer title + first and last name) and (his/her) incredible sacrifices in the line of duty. (He/she) is never forgotten and always honored.”
- “Recognizing the tremendous honor and sacrifices of (officer title + first and last name). May your legacy carry on forever.”
- “In recognition of (officer title + first and last name)’s bravery and honor in the line of duty. Gone but never forgotten.”
It’s a good idea to include your station and department names on the award. The family will keep and cherish this piece, which makes it vital to acknowledge where the officer or canine worked and lived.
Law Enforcement Retirement Plaques and Awards
Retirement is one of the most important and bittersweet milestones in any officer’s career. Police retirement plaques and awards showcase the department’s gratitude toward and recognition of the recipient’s years served. They also help commemorate the recipient’s transition into their new retired life.
Help your officers and other law enforcement team members celebrate this transition with joy by choosing from our wide selection of high-quality law enforcement retirement plaques and custom awards.
Police Shield Retirement Award
The Police Shield Retirement Award from EDCO offers a niche celebratory token of the recipient’s upcoming retirement. Flocked with stars and stripes, this patriotic honor is a wonderful going-away gift for retiring officers. There’s plenty of space for custom inscriptions on this special award.
Include the following information in the engravings:
- Police station
- Department
- Officer’s title
- Years of service
- Date of retirement
- Starting year through the year of retirement
- A brief, heartfelt message from the department/station
These elements will make the award feel even more personalized and honorable.
Sheriff Retirement Plaque
Sheriffs juggle many duties and navigate numerous stressful situations throughout their careers. When it comes time for those duties to end, you can gift our Sheriff Retirement Plaque to the retiring sheriff in your station or department.
The star shape symbolizes the sheriff’s badge that this officer has donned during their career. When they look at this award, they’ll always fondly remember the years they spent in the line of duty.
Include all of the same information listed above for the Police Shield Retirement Award, making sure to emphasize the officer’s title of sheriff. They’ve spent years operating in a larger geographic region than others, and they deserve the proper title as they head into retirement.
Classic Service Award: Police Officer Retirement Award Plaque
Are you looking for more classic-style police plaque ideas? Our Police Officer Retirement Award Plaque doubles as a service award and retirement commemoration. With plenty of space for custom engravings, this plaque will send your best officers off to retirement with honor and celebration.
Why Choose EDCO? Premium Awards for Police Officers and Other Law Enforcement
Whether you’re giving out a simple police trophy, police officer statue, or retirement plaque, EDCO is the way to go. At EDCO, we offer premium benefits and bulk ordering. Let us take the stress out of awards and trophies by customizing and perfecting your orders for you.
Free Engravings for Every Product
We don’t charge extra to engrave your statues, trophies, and awards. Every single EDCO award product comes with free inscriptions or engravings, making the process much more cost-effective and less stressful.
On-Time Delivery and Free Rush Shipping
You never have to worry about your EDCO order arriving late. We guarantee on-time delivery and ship out rush orders free of charge. There are no hidden fees with EDCO.
Responsive and Friendly Customer Service Team
If you ever have questions or concerns about your order, our responsive in-house team will help. We’re available for anything you need during the ordering process, and our communication is unmatched in the industry.
50+ Years of Experience
Our expertise comes from our own experiences. We’ve been in business for over 50 years, so we know what it takes to create premium, high-quality products. When you choose EDCO, you get the best of the best in awards and trophies.
Order Your Law Enforcement Awards Through EDCO Today
Law enforcement officers deserve the recognition and appreciation that they rarely get. Make this dream a reality by placing an order with EDCO today.
