Federal Benefits

For PSOB purposes, a death is considered to have occurred in the line of duty if it is a direct and proximate result of an injury sustained in the line of duty. An injury is considered to have occurred in the line of duty only if it arises during:

a) The performance of line-of-duty activities or actions;

b) Authorized commuting, as defined by federal law and regulations; or

c) The injured party’s status as a public safety officer was a substantial contributing factor to the injury, or the injury occurred in retaliation for a line-of-duty action by that officer or another.

Note: See below for more details on authorized commuting.

AUTHORIZED COMMUTING

The authorized commuting provisions define when travel is considered part of line-of-duty activity. For example, commuting to and from work in a personal vehicle for a regular shift is not generally considered line-of-duty. However, if an officer is called in for an emergency, that travel may qualify.

In general, authorized commuting refers to situations where a public safety officer is:

  • Responding to an emergency or traveling as part of their official duties, but not when they deviate from the course of duty for personal activities (such as running personal errands, a situation referred to as a "frolic or detour").

  • Traveling between home and work, or between work locations, in the following cases:

    • Using a vehicle provided by the agency (e.g., an assigned “take-home” vehicle).
    • Using a personal vehicle when required by the agency for work purposes (e.g., when an officer without a take-home vehicle is directed to use their own vehicle for an emergency or to travel between work locations).

The travel must be for official work purposes and must not include any deviation for personal reasons (a "frolic" or "detour").

Note: These provisions also apply to volunteers who respond to emergencies in their personal vehicles. If a volunteer is called to respond to an emergency, the authorized commuting rules apply to their travel to and from the scene, as long as they do not deviate for personal reasons along the way.

 

FILING A CLAIM

To file a PSOB claim, visit www.PSOB.gov.

Before submitting a claim on your own, we highly recommend reaching out for assistance from a trusted resource with proven experience in navigating the claims process.

Support is available at no cost from reputable nonprofit organizations, some of which are funded by the Department of Justice to provide this service. Seeking help from these experts can help ensure your claim is filed correctly and efficiently.