First established in 1925, the Scott Medal for Bravery is the highest honour for bravery and valour which can be awarded to a member of the Garda Síochána. The first medals were funded by Colonel Walter Scott, an honorary Commissioner of the New York Police Department.[10] The first recipient of the Scott Medal was Pat Malone of St. Luke's Cork City who - as an unarmed Garda - disarmed Tomás Óg Mac Curtain (the son of Tomás Mac Curtain).
To mark the United States link, the American English spelling of valor is used on the medal. The Garda Commissioner chooses the recipients of the medal, which is presented by the Minister for Justice.
In 2000, Anne McCabe - widow of Garda Jerry McCabe, who was killed by armed Provisional IRA bank robbers, accepted the Scott Medal for Bravery that had been awarded posthumously to her husband.[11]
The Irish Republican Police had at least one member killed by the RIC 21 July 1920.
The Civic Guard had one killed by accident 22 September 1922. Likewise 4 members of the Oriel HouseCriminal Investigation Department were killed/Died of wounds during the Irish Civil War[12]
The Garda Roll of Honor lists 31 members of the Garda killed between 1922 and 1999.