South African Police Decorations on:
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An overview of
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South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
n police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system
The South African honours system consists of orders, decorations, and medals which are conferred on citizens, and others, to recognise a range of services and achievements. The system has developed since 1894.
Historical development
The British ...
.
South African Police
TheSouth African Police
The South African Police (SAP) was the national police force and law enforcement agency in South Africa from 1913 to 1994; it was the ''de facto'' police force in the territory of South West Africa (Namibia) from 1939 to 1981. After South Afr ...
was established in 1913 as a national police force. It had a secondary military role, which came to the fore in World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and again in World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
1923-1963
The SAP was eligible for the BritishKing's Police Medal
The King's Police Medal (KPM) is awarded to police in the United Kingdom for gallantry or distinguished service. It was also formerly awarded within the wider British Empire, including Commonwealth countries, most of which now have their own hono ...
, which was awarded annually throughout the British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
. This was discontinued in 1933, because South Africa had become independent as a member of the new British Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...
, and it was replaced in 1937 by a special South African issue of the medal. From 1923, the SAP also had its own long service medal, which doubled as a medal for gallantry. The medals available to the SAP between 1923 and 1963 were thus:
Decoration
*Queen's Police Medal (South Africa)
The King's Police Medal (KPM) is awarded to police in the United Kingdom for gallantry or distinguished service. It was also formerly awarded within the wider British Empire, including Commonwealth countries, most of which now have their own hono ...
(1937–61)
Campaign medal
*Long service medal
* Police Good Service Medal (192363) Until 1952, they were incorporated into the British honours system. Thereafter they formed part of the new South African honours system.1963-2003
After South Africa became a republic (in 1961), the government instituted an entirely new series of decorations and medals for the SAP. It was added to several times over the years:Decorations
* * * * * * * * *Campaign medal
*Commemorative medals
* * *Long service medals
* * * In 1994, the SAP amalgamated with the police forces of the former "homelands" inside South Africa, to form the ''South African Police Service''.South African Railways Police
1934-1966
The South African Railways Police was established in 1934, to police the country's railways and harbours. It was later responsible for air services too. The SARP was modeled on the SAP, and shared the King's/Queen's Police Medal with it. It also had its own long service medal: the Railways Police Good Service Medal (193466).1966-1986
An entirely new series of decorations and medals was instituted for the SARP in 1966, to match those established for the SAP in 1963. The series was enlarged in 1980, to correspond to the changes made to the SAP awards in 1979. The full range of honours was:Decorations
* * * *Campaign medal
*Long service medals
* * * * The SARP was amalgamated into the SA Police on 1 October 1986, with all its personnel, assets and equipment transferred to the SAP.South African Police Service
TheSouth African Police Service
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is the national police force of the Republic of South Africa. Its 1,154 police stations in South Africa are divided according to the provincial borders, and a Provincial Commissioner is appointed in eac ...
, which was formed in 1994 by amalgamating the SAP and the police forces of the former homelands, used the SAP decorations and medals until 2004, when a new series of decorations was instituted:
Decorations
* * * * *Commemorative medal
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Long service medals
* * * *Animal decoration
*Municipal/Metropolitan Police Service
In 1998, the municipal and metropolitan council police forces were brought under the auspices of the SA Police Service Act, and became collectively known as the Municipal/Metropolitan Police Service. A series of decorations and medals was instituted for them in 2008.Decorations
* * * * *Commemorative Medal
*Long service medals
* * * *Animal decoration
*Notes
References
* *See also
*British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
This article concerns the orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms awarded by the sovereign in right of each nation.
Awards are listed by order of wear.
Antigua and Barbuda
* Order of the National Hero
* Order of the Nation
* Order of Me ...
* South African civil honours
South African orders, decorations and medals are those military and civilian orders, decorations and medals issued by the Government of South Africa. The following is a (non-exhaustive) list of these:
Historical orders, decorations and medals
M ...
* South African intelligence service decorations An overview of South African intelligence service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.
National Intelligence Service
The National Intelligence Service was established in 1963 as Republican Intelligence, a ...
* South African military decorations
An overview of South African military decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.
Colonial forces 1894–1913
The colonial military forces received British military decorations in wartime. From 1894, the colonial ...
* South African orders and decorations
The South African honours system consists of orders, decorations, and medals which are conferred on citizens, and others, to recognise a range of services and achievements. The system has developed since 1894.
Historical development
The Orders, ...
* South African prisons decorations
An overview of South African prisons service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.
Prisons Department
1922-1968
The Prisons Department was established in 1911. It was a civil service department, with un ...
External links
* {{cite web , url=http://samw.hwmw.net46.net , title=South African Medals Website , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506044954/http://samw.hwmw.net46.net/ , archive-date=2013-05-06 Police decorations and medals of South Africa Law enforcement awards and honors South Africa and the Commonwealth of Nations