Officer of the Month — Nomination Process

In 1996, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial instituted the Officer of the Month Program to recognize law enforcement officers who distinguish themselves through exemplary service and devotion to duty. Consistent with the NLEOMF mission, this program seeks "to generate increased public support for the law enforcement profession by permanently recording and appropriately commemorating the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers." Although a single heroic incident may be worthy of consideration, special consideration is given to those nominees who have distinguished themselves and their profession throughout their careers. 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

For the purpose of this program, "law enforcement officer" means a living individual involved in crime control or reduction, and who is directly employed on a full-time basis by a local, county, state or federal law enforcement agency, with or without compensation, who is duly sworn and has full arrest powers.

• In addition, military police officers will be considered, but only if their job responsibilities require them to experience similar hazards and perform similar duties as those normally experienced and performed by non-military personnel.
  
  
• Correctional employees shall be considered if they are recognized as having law enforcement status by their employing jurisdiction. Other correctional employees will be considered if they have a primary or limited responsibility for the custody and security of suspected or convicted criminal offenders and are employed by a local, county, state or federal correctional agency.
  
  
• Less than full-time law enforcement officers will also be considered. In such cases, eligibility will be determined after a review of several issues, including, but not limited to, job description and training.

Nominees may include individual officers, or two or more officers, provided that the officers being nominated worked in partnership or as a team.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Nomination Summary

Please furnish a brief summary (not more than three typewritten, double-spaced pages) of the distinguished service for which the officer should be recognized, including, but not limited to:

• Law enforcement service
• Community service
• Extreme actions of valor
• Commendations and other awards received
• Other notable achievements

Please note that we will only accept nomination summaries that have been signed by the officer's supervisor or head of department. This signature will indicate to the NLEOMF that all information submitted is updated, accurate, and available for our immediate use in drafting Officer of the Month profiles.

Nomination Form and Picture

In your nomination packet, please include a completed Officer of the Month nomination form. You can obtain a form by calling our administrative office or download the form here (Fillable PDF file). In the form, provide the name and phone number of the law enforcement agency where the officer works, and the name and contact information of the head of the department, the officer's immediate supervisor, and nominating individual. A picture of the officer in uniform should also be included with the nomination.

Items that we suggest, but are not necessary, for inclusion with your nomination form are:

• Articles featuring the nominee or their work (limit to 4)
• Letters of support from the community

Nominations should be submitted in writing to:

Lynn Lyons-Wynne
Director of Operations & Public Liaison
NLEOMF
400 7th Street NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20004

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

Nominations are reviewed by NLEOMF staff and recommended award winners are submitted to a committee of NLEOMF board members for final review and approval. THE review process may include discussion with the nominee, as well as the nominee's law enforcement agency, including, but not limited to, the nominee's commanding officer, top administrative officer, co-workers, union or association, as well as private citizens served by the officer. Prior to any decision becoming final or publicly announced, the selected recipient must provide written authorization for the award to be given and the notification process to proceed.

Once approved, a letter announcing the decision is sent to the Officer of the Month, to the person who submitted the nomination and to the top administrative officer of the law enforcement agency involved. A press release is also issued announcing the award winner and paying tribute to the officer selected; a copy of the press release is placed on the Memorial's web site and copies are sent to selected national media outlets, to media outlets in the officer's home community and to nearly 500 law enforcement publications across the country. The officers are also featured in the Living Legend section of the NLEOMF calendar.

AWARD PRESENTATION

The Officer of the Month award presentation takes place each May, during National Police Week, at a luncheon hosted by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's Board of Directors. The awards are presented to the Officers of the Month from the previous calendar year by the Memorial Fund's Chairman and CEO, Craig W. Floyd.