Statute Details
- Title: Pingat Bakti Setia (Polis) (The Long Service Medal — Police) Rules 2007
- Act Code: S429-2007
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (Rules)
- Commencement: Deemed to have come into operation on 8 August 2007
- Current status (per extract): Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Enacting authority: Made by command; signed by the Secretary to the Cabinet (as shown in the extract)
- Governing framework referenced: Police Force Act (Cap. 235), including reference to Special Constabulary (section 66(1))
- Key provisions (rules): Rules 1–8; Schedule (medal design)
- Notable amendment: Amended by S 118/2013 with effect from 1 March 2013 (affecting Rule 3(1) and/or related computation)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Pingat Bakti Setia (Polis) (The Long Service Medal — Police) Rules 2007 are subsidiary legislation that establish and regulate a specific Singapore award: the “Pingat Bakti Setia (Polis)” (also styled the “Long Service Medal — Police”). In practical terms, the Rules set out who may receive the medal, what service qualifies, what the medal looks like, how it is worn, and how awards are formally recorded and published.
Long service medals are a form of recognition for sustained commitment to public service. This particular medal is targeted at members of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and certain categories of persons connected to policing through the Special Constabulary. The Rules therefore sit at the intersection of personnel recognition and public service discipline: they not only confer eligibility and award mechanics, but also provide for forfeiture and restoration in specified circumstances.
Although the Rules are relatively short, they are legally significant for two reasons. First, they define eligibility thresholds (notably at least 25 years of continuous and unbroken service) and specify how national service time is treated. Second, they vest important discretionary powers in the President—including the power to forfeit medals for serious service-related or criminal conduct, and to restore forfeited medals.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Rule 1 (Citation and commencement) provides the legal identity of the instrument and its effective date. The Rules may be cited as the “Pingat Bakti Setia (Polis) (The Long Service Medal — Police) Rules 2007” and are deemed to have come into operation on 8 August 2007. For practitioners, this matters when determining whether an award decision or administrative action is governed by these Rules, particularly where service spans multiple periods.
Rule 2 (Designation of Medal) designates the medal and provides its official styling. It states that the medal shall be designated and styled the Pingat Bakti Setia (Polis) or the Long Service Medal (Police). This is important for consistency in official records, Gazette publication, and the physical inscription and design.
Rule 3 (Award of Medal) is the core eligibility provision. Under Rule 3(1), the medal “may be awarded” to any person who has completed at least 25 years of continuous and unbroken service in the Singapore Police Force as either: (a) a uniformed Singapore Police Force operationally ready national serviceman; or (b) a volunteer enrolled as a member of the Special Constabulary deemed to be constituted under section 66(1) of the Police Force Act. The use of “may be awarded” indicates discretion rather than automatic entitlement, even where eligibility is met.
Rule 3(2) addresses computation of service. It provides that the period of full-time national service completed by the serviceman shall be included in the computation of service for the purposes of Rule 3(1). This is a practical and legally relevant clarification: it ensures that qualifying national service time counts toward the 25-year threshold, which can affect eligibility outcomes for those whose policing-related service includes national service periods.
Rule 4 (Description of Medal) specifies the physical characteristics and inscriptions. The medal consists of a 10-sided shape made of 925 sterling silver, measuring 38 mm in width and 3 mm in thickness. The obverse bears the Singapore State Crest with the inscription “POLIS REPABLIK SINGAPURA” beneath the crest. The reverse bears the Singapore Police crest encircled by the inscription “PINGAT BAKTI SETIA (POLIS)”. Rule 4(4) further states that the medal shall be of the design set out in the Schedule. For counsel advising on authenticity, display, or administrative compliance, these specifications are the authoritative description.
Rule 5 (Wearing of Medal) governs uniform and presentation. It requires the medal to be worn by the recipient on the left side of the outer garment, suspended by a ribbon 34 mm wide and 50 mm long. The ribbon design is prescribed: vertical stripes in red and white, with a red strip of 22 mm at the centre flanked by white stripes of 6 mm each. This level of detail is typical of honours rules and is relevant for disciplinary or compliance matters involving uniform regulations.
Rule 6 (Name to be inscribed on Medal) requires that the recipient’s name be inscribed on the back of the medal. This supports traceability and prevents misidentification in records and ceremonial contexts.
Rule 7 (Publication of award) mandates that the names of persons awarded be published in the Gazette. This is a key legal step: Gazette publication is often treated as the formal public record of the award, and it can be important for proving that an award was validly made under the Rules.
Rule 8 (Forfeiture of Medal) provides the disciplinary and criminal consequences framework. Under Rule 8(1), the President may forfeit any medal awarded under these Rules if the person: (a) is dismissed or dishonourably discharged from service in the Singapore Police Service; (b) is convicted of any criminal offence; or (c) is guilty of misconduct or disloyalty to Singapore. The breadth of these grounds is notable: “any criminal offence” is not limited by severity, and “misconduct or disloyalty” is not defined within the Rules, leaving interpretive space that would likely be informed by broader administrative and disciplinary standards.
Rule 8(2) allows for restoration of any medal forfeited, again by the President. Rule 8(3) requires that a notice of forfeiture or restoration be published in the Gazette. For practitioners, this means that forfeiture/restoration is not merely internal—it must be publicly recorded, reinforcing legal certainty and transparency.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Rules are structured as a short set of numbered provisions followed by a Schedule. The main body comprises Rules 1 to 8, covering: (1) citation and commencement; (2) designation of the medal; (3) eligibility and award criteria; (4) physical description; (5) wearing instructions; (6) name inscription; (7) Gazette publication; and (8) forfeiture and restoration. The Schedule contains the design of the medal, referenced in Rule 4(4). This structure reflects a typical honours framework: eligibility and governance provisions are separated from technical specifications and ceremonial rules.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Rules apply to persons who may receive the Pingat Bakti Setia (Polis) medal. Eligibility is tied to service in the Singapore Police Force and, specifically, to two categories: (i) uniformed SPF operationally ready national servicemen; and (ii) volunteers enrolled as members of the Special Constabulary deemed constituted under section 66(1) of the Police Force Act. The common requirement is at least 25 years of continuous and unbroken service.
In addition, the Rules apply to recipients after award. Rule 8 confers on the President the power to forfeit medals where the recipient is dismissed or dishonourably discharged, convicted of any criminal offence, or found guilty of misconduct or disloyalty to Singapore. The restoration mechanism also applies post-forfeiture. Accordingly, the Rules have both an award and a post-award disciplinary dimension.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
For legal practitioners, the importance of these Rules lies in their combination of (a) eligibility thresholds and (b) discretionary executive powers with public-law consequences. The 25-year “continuous and unbroken service” requirement is a factual and administrative determination that can become contentious in cases involving breaks in service, interruptions, or disputes about whether certain periods count. Rule 3(2) is therefore particularly valuable: it clarifies that full-time national service is included in the computation, reducing ambiguity for eligible national servicemen.
The forfeiture regime in Rule 8 is also significant. It provides a mechanism for removing honours in response to serious service-related outcomes (dismissal/dishonourable discharge), criminal convictions, and conduct-based findings (misconduct or disloyalty). Because the grounds include “any criminal offence,” the legal consequences of criminal proceedings for medal holders can be immediate and far-reaching. Practitioners advising recipients or the relevant authorities would need to consider how criminal conviction outcomes and disciplinary findings may trigger forfeiture considerations.
Finally, the Gazette publication requirements in Rules 7 and 8(3) enhance legal certainty. They ensure that awards, forfeitures, and restorations are recorded in an authoritative public forum. In practice, this can affect how individuals represent their honours, how institutions verify awards, and how disputes about validity are resolved.
Related Legislation
- Police Force Act (Cap. 235) — particularly section 66(1) (Special Constabulary deemed constituted)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Pingat Bakti Setia (Polis) (The Long Service Medal — Police) Rules 2007 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.