The Australian Police Medal (APM) is awarded for distinguished service by a member of an Australian police force.
The APM was introduced in 1986, and replaced the Imperial Queen's Police Medal for Gallantry and Queen's Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

Awards are made by the Governor-General, on the nomination of the responsible minister in each state or territory, and at the federal level. The total number of awards for each police force each year must not exceed one APM for every 1,000, or part of 1,000, sworn members in the force. Recipients of the Australian Police Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "APM".

Description

• The APM is a circular, nickel-silver medal ensigned with the Crown of St Edward
  St. Edward's Crown
  St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels, being the official coronation crown used in the coronation of first English, then British, and finally Commonwealth realms monarchs...
  
  . The front of the medal displays the effigy of the Sovereign on a Federation Star
  Commonwealth Star
  The Commonwealth Star is a seven-pointed star symbolising the Federation of Australia which came into force on 1 January 1901....
  
  , superimposed over a pattern of fluted rays.
• The back of the medal is inscribed with the words ‘Australian Police Medal’ and ‘For Distinguished Service’. The inscriptions are encircled by a wreath of the national floral emblem, the golden wattle.
• The 32 millimetre-wide ribbon features a central vertical stripe of dark blue flanked by two white stripes.