§ 20-187.1. Awards.
§ 20‑187.1. Awards.
(a) The patrolcommander shall appoint an awards committee consisting of one troop commander,one troop executive officer, one district sergeant, one corporal, two troopersand one member of patrol headquarters staff. All committee members shall servefor a term of one year. The member from patrol headquarters staff shall serveas secretary to the committee and shall vote only in case of ties. Thecommittee shall meet at such times and places designated by the patrolcommander.
(b) The award to begranted under the provisions of this section shall be the North Carolina StateHighway Patrol award of honor. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol award ofhonor is awarded in the name of the people of North Carolina and by theGovernor to a person who, while a member of the North Carolina State HighwayPatrol, distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at therisk of personal safety and beyond the call of duty while engaged in thepreservation of life and property. The deed performed must have been one ofpersonal bravery and self‑sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearlydistinguish the individual above his colleagues and must have involved risk oflife. Proof of the performance of the service will be required and each recommendationfor the award of this decoration will be considered on the standard ofextraordinary merit.
(c) Recipients of theawards hereinabove provided for will be entitled to receive a framedcertificate of the award and an insignia designed to be worn as a part of theState Highway Patrol uniform.
(d) The awardscommittee shall review and investigate all reports of outstanding service andshall make recommendations to the patrol commander with respect thereto. Thecommittee shall consider members of the Patrol for the awards created by thissection when properly recommended by any individual having personal knowledgeof an act, achievement or service believed to warrant the award of adecoration. No recommendation shall be made except by majority vote of allmembers of the committee. All recommendations of the committee shall be inwriting and shall be forwarded to the patrol commander.
(e) Upon receipt of arecommendation of the committee, the patrol commander shall inquire into thefacts of the matter and shall reduce his recommendation to writing. The patrolcommander shall forward his recommendation, together with the recommendation ofthe committee, to the Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety. TheSecretary shall have final authority to approve or disapprove recommendationsaffecting the issuance of all awards except the award of honor. Allrecommendations for the award of honor shall be forwarded to the Governor forfinal approval or disapproval.
(f) The patrolcommander shall, with the approval of the Secretary, establish all necessaryrules and regulations to fully implement the provisions of this section andsuch rules and regulations shall include, but shall not be limited to, thefollowing:
(1) Announcement ofawards
(2) Presentation ofawards
(3) Recording of awards
(4) Replacement ofawards
(5) Authority to wearaward insignias. (1967, c. 1179; 1971, c. 848; 1977, c. 70, s. 13.)