For the official recognition of outstanding acts in the line of duty by the members of the Police, Fire, and Corrections Departments of the District of Columbia there shall be awarded annually 1 gold medal and 1 or more silver medals, appropriately inscribed, to those members of each Department who have by outstanding or conspicuous services earned such awards.
D.C. Code § 5-901
Merit system, application to police officers and firefighters, see § 1-632.03. .