Annual Recognition Program

Officer of the Year

This award honors a female police officer who demonstrates exemplary conduct, momentous action, or outstanding achievement across multiple areas of policing. Actions should demonstrate exceptional dedication to policing through ascertainable contributions which significantly exceed normal expectations of her routine duty, exemplify innovation and excellence, and significantly impacts her agency, community, or area of responsibility. 

Civilian of the Year

This award is presented to a female civilian professional of a police agency who has demonstrated outstanding conduct and made significant contributions to support, promote, improve, and enhance policing. The nominee should have actively worked on advancing efforts to support police, contributing to initiatives aimed at strengthening community relations, enhancing operational efficiency, addressing critical crime issues, or encouraging advocacy. 

Bravery

This award honors a female police officer who demonstrates an exemplary act(s) of bravery or heroism, either on or off duty. The nominee should have faced significant risk to her personal safety, acted courageously in the face of danger while executing her duties or protecting others, or undertaken decisive measures in emergencies that demanded exceptional courage. Creativity in handling perilous circumstances, perseverance under extreme pressure, and unwavering commitment to duty are other key attributes recognized in this award. 

Leadership

This award honors a female police officer who distinguishes herself through exceptional leadership qualities, including the ability to inspire and motivate teams, communicate effectively, and take decisive action in challenging situations. Actions should demonstrate a continuing commitment to fostering collaboration, developing others, taking key actions, or cultivating a culture of trust and innovation within her agency or community. Her skills and proficiencies must have resulted in tangible impact and improvement.

Community Service

This award honors a female police officer who demonstrates outstanding commitment to improving public safety, reducing crime and criminal behavior, and fostering better relationships between the police and the local community through actionable initiatives to address community-specific concerns.

Excellence in Performance

This award honors a female police officer who demonstrates outstanding policing skills or actions that significantly impact her agency or area of responsibility. The nominator should show evidence of achievements and tangible results, such as the arrest of a prolific criminal, detection of multiple offenses, superb investigation, contribution to strategic operations or agency objectives, or initiatives and innovations that enhance or further overall policing performance. 

Mentoring and Coaching

This award honors a female police officer who demonstrates exceptional dedication to the support, assistance, and development of women police through active engagement, by fostering the professional growth and personal development of colleagues, or by providing coaching, mentorship, guidance, and encouragement. Actions should demonstrate impact; increased participation of women in leadership roles, improved retention rates, or the successful adoption of initiatives aimed at enhancing women’s roles or cultivating future leaders within the police organization.

Advocate

This award is presented to a male police officer or male civilian employed by a police agency who has made a significant contribution or commitment to the advancement of women in policing, demonstrates active advocacy within the policing community, or displays a commitment to opportunities for women police.

Prevention and Detection of Violence Against Women

This award honors a female police officer who demonstrates exceptional dedication and skill in preventing, detecting and combating violence against women and girls, including crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual violence, trafficking in persons, or crimes against children. Recipients show evidence of implementing innovative strategies or initiatives aimed at preventing such offenses, investigative success, arresting and bringing offenders to justice, or ensuring the protection and empowerment of survivors. 

Heritage

The Heritage Award is a distinguished honor bestowed upon an IAWP member and aims to acknowledge exceptional and dedicated service to the IAWP while preserving its historical legacy and evolution. Nominations must demonstrate a high degree of long-term commitment, sustained advocacy, and continuing support for IAWP and women police over many years. The award is not required to be presented in any given year.

Submit Nominations Here

Frequently Asked Questions to assist with the submission process.

Contact IAWP Awards Chair at awards@iawp.org for details.