What Is a Law Enforcement Challenge Coin?

A law enforcement challenge coin is a medallion used to honor the work of law enforcement officers. This tradition is based on a longstanding one practiced by the military. It's a great honor to receive a challenge coin from your superior, whether you're a military officer or a police officer. The tradition is so old that its roots can be traced back to the Roman army; high-achieving officers received a Roman coin as a sort of bonus for their good work. Today, challenge coins are used in the police force to improve morale and unity and to reward bravery and hard work.

What Is a Law Enforcement Challenge Coin Used For?

Over the years, challenge coins have been developed to have a lot of different uses and meanings to the law enforcement community. Here are a few different ways police departments are using custom coins:

• Memorial Coins: Coins can be used to memorialize an officer who died in the line of duty or as a general memorial to remember fallen officers.
• Event Keepsakes: Sometimes, the police hold special events, ranging from local community traditions to global gatherings like the World Police & Fire Games. A coin is the perfect way to give attendees a memento of the event.
• Unit Cohesion: Sometimes, specialized units create challenge coins for their members as a way to promote pride and unity.
• Family Member Honors: Some police departments have chosen to honor the support of their family members by creating coins, like a "mothers of police officers" coin.

Regardless of how the coins are used, there's no doubt that police officers have a great appreciation for challenge coins: They love to collect and display these markers of their work. If you're an officer working on a coin for your unit, WizardPins can supply all the tools you need to make your design a reality.