Decisions on awards are made on incidents occurring during the current award year, October 1st through September 30th. The recommendation must cite specific circumstances surrounding the actions which led to that particular recommendation. A copy of the case report should be included except in cases which are confidential or for other good reasons that are subject to review. No vote by the committee is made public, noexplanation or rational will be publicly provided. The committee recommended the following awards, which were adopted unanimously by the committee.
Local awards are to be presented at an appropriate occasion or ceremony within that community.
The Distinguished Service Medal is to be awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct involving exemplary courage, great risk and danger to the officer's personal safety, but less than that required for the Medal Of Honor. The Citizens' Award of Valor is to be awarded to private citizens who voluntarily come to the aid of a law enforcement officer or another citizen at great personal risk of their own lives in situations arising out of an activity wherein the citizens involved has no personal motive or stake in the outcome. The Spock Award is to be awarded posthumously to an animal who lost their life in performance of their duty under honorable circumstances in the aid of law enforcement. A plaque is presented in recognition that the recipient gave their life in the service of the community it served. This program is provided to each Ohio County Sheriff, provided that he or she adopts the program at their option.