U.S. Park Police Challenge Coins

A tradition that began first in the military, challenge coins are awarded to enforcement officers across the nation to honor and recognize law enforcement officers for their exceptional service. Unique challenges coins typically feature the emblems, symbols, and iconography of their commissioning organization. For example, a U.S. Park Police challenge coin may feature the iconic badge of the organization as a relief on one of the coin’s sides while representing the buffalo flag of their supervisory organization on the flip side. 

Over the course of their career, a USPP officer may earn or collect many different challenge coins from the different police stations of units they work with. Newly recruited officers also often have unique challenge coins representing their previous occupations in other law enforcement organizations or in military units.

As a fully-functioning police force in service since George Washington’s presidency, the USPP has a long history stretching back to the nation’s formative years. This long history is often honored in the design of a station’s individual unit coins and many of the law enforcement’s individual stations may honor their officers with challenge coins unique to that station including:

• The Central District Station - This location plays host to the National Independence Day Celebration and Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival along with its regular policing duties. 
• George Washington Memorial Parkway Station - Officers are responsible for providing law enforcement of the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP), the Clara Barton Parkway (formerly GWMP-Maryland), and the C&O Canal. 
• Rock Creek Park Station - As well as community law enforcement duties, the officers of Rock Creek Park Station, provide security for summer concerts held at the Carter Barron Amphitheatre.
• Greenbelt Park Station - Home station of the Warrant Squad, responsible for all misdemeanor and traffic warrants from incidents occurring on Force jurisdiction in Maryland.
• Anacostia Park Station - This location houses the USPP Special Forces, Criminal Investigations, and Training Branches.
• New York Field Office - Headquartered in Staten Island, New York, the New York Field Office is staffed by Horse Mounted Units, a Criminal Investigations Unit, and a SWAT Team to patrol the Jamaica Bay and Staten Island Units of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and at the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island National Historic Site.
• San Francisco Field Office - Officers stationed at SFFO provide law enforcement for the Presidio and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.