The Maryland Chiefs of Police Association honors officers and security professionals each year at our annual conference. The attached nomination forms have specific criteria for the “Medal of Honor”, “Traffic Safety” and the “Exceptional Performance” awards as well as our “Scholarship” requirements. 

The category breakdown listed below applies for the” Exceptional Police Performance” and “Traffic Safety” awards but will not apply to the “Medal of Honor”, “Exceptional Police Performance Unit Award” or “Exceptional Performance by a Private Security Professional” award. Please note that the categories are determined by an agency’s sworn complement only, not the total complement of both sworn and civilian.

The categories are as follows: 

• Category “A” – police agencies with a sworn complement of more than 125 officers. 
• Category “B” – police agencies with a sworn complement of 26 – 125 officers. 
• Category “C” – police agencies with a sworn complement of 1 – 25 officers. 

For your convenience the nomination forms are available below. Please submit your nominee’s name and supporting documentation between January 1, 2025 and May 15, 2025. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Captain Chris Williams at 410-313-2304 or via email at: [email protected]  

General Instructions for Award Submissions

**Please Note the deadline for this years award submission:  May 15, 2025**

• Nominations for either award should relate to activities undertaken by the nominee between January 1 and December 31, 2024 only.

• Only those nominations postmarked prior to May 15, 2025, will be considered. Nominations can be submitted electronically to [email protected] up to the deadline date.

• Each department may nominate only one (1) member for each award. Officers can only be nominated for one award except that an officer nominated for the Medal of Honor may also be nominated for the Exceptional Police Performance Award.

• Nominations will not be considered unless the nomination form is completed in its entirety. Supporting documentation may be attached as deemed appropriate. 

Completed nomination forms should be mailed to: 

Captain Chris Williams
Howard County Police Department 
3410 Courthouse Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21043

Or via email to: [email protected]

Award Nomination Criteria 

(For actions taken during the calendar year 2024)

Medal of Honor Award 
(One Award Recipient Selected Each Year)

Criteria: This is the highest award conferred upon an officer who, in a life-threatening situation, acted in a manner above and beyond the call of duty. 

Commentary: This award is presented to an officer who, in a life-threatening situation displayed exceptional courage, intelligence, alertness and presence of mind. This award usually involves a single event where the nominee’s life was placed in danger while either saving a life or apprehending a dangerous felon. 

Exceptional Police Performance Award 
(One Award Recipient per Category Selected Each Year)

Criteria: This award is conferred upon a police officer who has made outstanding contributions toward keeping the community safe by performing an exceptional amount and/or quality of police activity, developing and implementing effective policing strategies or tactics, or conducting a skillful and tenacious investigation of a complex and difficult case. 

Categories: 

A – Police agencies with a sworn compliment of more than 125 officers.
B – Police agencies with a sworn compliment of 26-125 officers.
C – Police agencies with a sworn compliment of 1-25 officers.

Commentary: This award is designed to recognize exceptional work in police patrol, traffic or investigative activities. This would include designing and implementing new or improved operational strategies or tactics that solve crimes, apprehend criminals, recover stolen property or enhance public safety. 

Exceptional Police Performance by a Unit/Team/Collaboration 
(One Award Recipient Selected Each Year)

Criteria: This award is conferred upon a unit, team or collaboration of personnel who, in combination, made an outstanding contribution to community safety by performing an exceptional amount and/or quality of police activity, developing and implementing effective strategies or tactics, or conducted a skillful and tenacious investigation of a complex and difficult case. 

Commentary: This award is designed to recognize exceptional work by a Unit, team or collaboration of personnel in police patrol, traffic or investigative activities. This would include designing and implementing new or improved operational strategies or tactics that solve crimes, apprehend criminals, recover stolen property or enhance public safety.  

Exceptional Performance by a Private Security Professional (One Award Recipient Selected Each Year)

• Have demonstrated the ability to perform the day-to-day functions of a security officer with demonstrated empathy toward the citizens he serves. 

• Be devoted to duty beyond the requirements of the job which included security duties, customer service, professionalism, community activities, and enhancing the image of the organization. 

• Have positive supervisory performance evaluations for the year under consideration. 

• Have produced quality work and demonstrated above average initiative in the performance of his/her duties. 

• The nominee shall be considered for a year’s worth of work, not just one particular incident.