Order of Merit of the Police Forces
| Order of Merit of the Police Forces | |
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Commander's badge of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces
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Awarded by the monarch of Canada |
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| Type | National order |
| Eligibility | Members of Canadian police services. |
| Awarded for | Demonstration of the highest qualities of service to Canada, the police community, and humanity at large. |
| Status | Currently constituted |
| Sovereign | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Chancellor | Governor General David Johnston |
| Grades |
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| Statistics | |
| Established | October 2000 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Dependent on grade |
| Next (lower) | Dependent on grade |
The Order of Merit of the Police Forces (French: Ordre du mérite des corps policiers) is an honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the only such fellowship reserved for only members of Canada's various police forces. Created in 2000, the order is administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Canadian monarch. Appointment to the order recognizes conspicuous merit and exceptional service, the level of which is reflected by the organization's three hierarchical grades.
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police in 1996 approached the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall to propose an order of merit for Canada's police forces, possibly modelled on the Order of Military Merit. This prompted the Solicitor General of Canada at the time, Herb Gray, to contact his provincial counterparts, inquiring of their reactions to the idea. As consent from the provincial governments was unanimous in its approval, the society was set up and officially implemented when, on 3 October 2000, Queen Elizabeth II applied the royal sign-manual to her letters patent constituting the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. The first induction ceremony for the order then took place on 17 May 2002.
The Canadian monarch, seen as the fount of honour, is at the apex of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces as its Sovereign, followed by the governor general, who serves as the fellowship's Chancellor, and the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who is the Principal Commander. Thereafter follow three grades—each having accordant post-nominal letters that are the same in both English and French. Promotions in grade are possible, though there are limits to the populations of the grades. Any person thus honoured must return their lower grade insignia, as no member may at any time hold more than one appointment in the organization. Further, within the order of preference for Canadian honours, each grade of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces precedes a similar grade of the Royal Victorian Order and succeeds a similar grade of the Order of Military Merit.
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