The Prison Services (Operational Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was established by Royal Warrant on 17 December 2010. The medal is awarded for long service to members of the various prison services of the United Kingdom.

Criteria

To qualify for the medal, a recipient must have served on operational prison duties for twenty years. This service can be either continuous or aggregated, and can include both full and part-time service. Those who move to non-operational Prison Service duties due to injury can also receive the medal after a total of twenty years service. There is no provision for ribbon clasps to recognise further periods of service. Prison officers with a minimum of 25 years service were previously eligible for the

Imperial Service Medal The Imperial Service Medal (ISM) is a medal affiliated with the Imperial Service Order. The medal was established under the statutes of the Imperial Service Order, on 8 August 1902, by King Edward VII, with the first awards appearing in the Lond ...

on retirement. As they cover the same service, the introduction of the Prison Services Medal meant that operational prison staff ceased to be eligible for the Imperial Service Medal.

Appearance

The Prison Services (Operational Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is circular, in diameter, and made of

cupro-nickel Cupronickel or copper-nickel (CuNi) is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. The copper content typically varies from 60 to 90 percent. (Monel is a nickel-copper alloy that contains a minimu ...

. The obverse, designed by

Ian Rank-Broadley Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS (born 1952) is a British sculptor who has produced many acclaimed works, among which are several designs for British coinage and the memorial statue of Princess Diana at Kensington Palace in London unveiled on her 60th ...

, bears an effigy of

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

with the wording'' ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID DEF''. The reverse depicts a prison doorway with a crowned Royal Cypher. Above the design is the inscription ''FOR EXEMPLARY SERVICE''. The name and details of the recipient are impressed on the rim of the medal. The medal has an ornate scrolled suspension, the wide ribbon being black with two narrow white stripes at each edge.

References

{{Efficiency and long service decorations and medals Civil awards and decorations of the United Kingdom Awards established in 2010 Long and Meritorious Service Medals of Britain and the Commonwealth 2010 establishments in the United Kingdom Penal system in the United Kingdom Prison officer awards