Public Safety Officers' Benefits
A unique effort of the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance; local, state, tribal, and federal public safety
agencies; and national organizations, the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program provides death and education
benefits to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders, as well as disability benefits to
officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty.
The benefit amount for eligible deaths and disabilities occurring on or after
October 1, 2016, is $343,589.
The PSOB Office works with many national stakeholders to provide support and
services to the families, coworkers, and friends of officers killed in the line of duty. A
vital national resource, the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) provides programs
representing a wide range of survivor support services, from the National Police
Survivors’ Conference held each May during National Police Week to relationship-specific
counseling and activity retreats designed for spouses, children, and other
survivors. C.O.P.S. also offers educational scholarships to survivors and trial and
parole support for families and others affected by law enforcement line-of-duty
deaths. In addition, it provides training and assistance to law enforcement agencies
nationwide on responding to the tragic loss of a member of the law enforcement
profession.
Eligibility
Survivors and surviving agencies filing for PSOB death benefits work closely with the PSOB Office to provide the documentation to establish that a public safety officer died as a direct and proximate result of an injury sustained in the line of duty.
“BJA's PSOB Office is honored to review the nearly 900 claims submitted each year on behalf of America's fallen and catastrophically injured public safety heroes and their loved ones.”
Additional information and step-by-step instructions for submitting claims for death benefits,
disability benefits, and education benefits may be found at the website.