NCJ Number
175197
Date Published
1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This fact sheet explains the purpose, eligibility requirements, and procedures of the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program, which provides a one-time financial benefit to the eligible survivors of law enforcement personnel and firefighters whose deaths are the direct and proximate result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty.
Abstract
The program provides the same benefit to public safety officers who have been permanently and totally disabled by a catastrophic personal injury sustained in the line of duty if that injury permanently prevents the officer form performing any gainful work. The benefit is adjusted each year for inflation and is $143,943 for fiscal year 1999. The Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act was enacted in 1976 to offer peace of mind to persons seeking careers in public safety and to make a strong statement about the value society places on the contributions of those who serve their communities in potentially dangerous circumstances. Eligible survivors or disability claimants may file claims directly with the Bureau of Justice Assistance or through the agency in which the public safety officer served. Summary of eligibility requirements and procedures and list of sources of further information