FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 17, 2018


Department of Public Safety accepting nominations for 5 statewide awards honoring first responders for heroic acts or work strengthening Missouri communities

A sixth award honors civilians who assist first responders during emergencies

The Department of Public Safety today announced it is accepting nominations through March 31, 2018 for five awards honoring Missouri first responders and a sixth award honoring civilians who assist responders during emergencies for extraordinary acts performed in 2017.

The Missouri Medal of Valor, Public Safety Medal of Merit, Director’s Leadership Medal and Hall of Fame Award all recognize heroic and extraordinary service by members of law enforcement, the fire and emergency medical services, state and local corrections officers, court officers and emergency management personnel. The Governor’s Medal is an award for extraordinary actions by a team of emergency responders. The Civilian Partnership Award honors civilians who assist first responders. 

More information about the awards and nomination forms are available at: https://dps.mo.gov/medal/. On Oct. 28, 2017, these public safety awards were presented to 18 honorees for acts performed during 2016. Read about that ceremony here: https://dps.mo.gov/news/newsitem/uuid/b69debda-2fbd-4527-a936-8ab90ec6a06b.

The six awards are:

  • Missouri Medal of Valor. This medal, Missouri’s highest award for public safety officers, is awarded to those who exhibit exceptional courage, decisiveness and swift action without regard for their own safety in an attempt to save a life. 
  • Public Safety Medal of Merit. This medal honors an individual’s brave actions above and beyond the call of normal duty that play a critical role in successfully resolving a situation that endangers public safety.
  • Governor’s Medal. This medal honors an organized or ad hoc team of public safety officers for brave actions above and beyond the call of normal duty during a critical situation in which their teamwork was essential to the successful resolution of the situation. 
  • Director’s Leadership Medal. This medal honors an individual at the command or staff level whose community activities have promoted greater safety, security, and cooperation for community members through programs, relationship-building, or collaboration. 
  • Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award. This award honors a civilian who has provided valuable or courageous assistance to public safety officers in an emergency situation, without regard for their own personal welfare. It may also be bestowed on a civilian or team of civilians who train public safety officers in life-saving techniques which are later utilized to save a life.
  • Hall of Fame Award. This award honors a senior or retired public safety professional whose distinguished career serves as a model of exceptional courage, service, fairness, and compassion, and whose devotion of talents, time, and resources has improved the safety and security of Missouri’s citizens. 

 

For the Medal of Valor, Public Safety Medal of Merit, Governor’s Medal and Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award, nominations are limited to acts performed from Jan. 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2017.

Director’s Leadership Medal nominations are limited to command or staff level officers whose recent community activities have promoted greater safety, security, and cooperation for community members through programs, relationship-building, or collaboration. 

Hall of Fame Award nominations are for works and actions accomplished over a career by a senior or retired public safety professional.

For additional information about the awards, including who is eligible to make a nomination, go to: http://dps.mo.gov/medal/. The site includes nomination forms for all of the awards. All nominations must be postmarked by March 31, 2018.

For award purposes, public safety officers must be individuals who serve a public agency, with or without compensation, as a firefighter, law enforcement officer or emergency or emergency management personnel, including EMTs and paramedics. State and local corrections and court officers are also eligible. 



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For more information, call 573-751-5432 or e-mail mike.oconnell@dps.mo.gov