After September 1, 2001, the President may award, and present in the name of Congress, a Medal of Valor of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a public safety officer who is cited by the Attorney General, upon the recommendation of the Medal of Valor Review Board, for extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty. The Public Safety Medal of Valor shall be the highest national award for valor by a public safety officer.
42 U.S.C. § 15201
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 107-12, §1, May 30, 2001, 115 Stat. 20, provided that: "This Act [enacting this chapter and amending section 2214 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade] may be cited as the 'Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001'."
- public safety officer
- The term "public safety officer" means a person serving a public agency, with or without compensation, as a firefighter, law enforcement officer, or emergency services officer, as determined by the Attorney General. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term "law enforcement officer" includes a person who is a corrections or court officer or a civil defense officer.