Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor
The
Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor is the highest
decoration for bravery performed by public safety officers in the
United States, comparable to the military's
Medal of Honor.
The Medal of Valor was established on
May 30,
2001. It is awarded by the
President of the United States to public safety officers (police officers, firefighters, et cetera) cited by the
Attorney General and recommended by the eleven-member Medal of Valor Review Board. The medal can be awarded posthumously.
Before the establishment of the Medal of Valor, there were no Federal awards to specifically acknowledge the bravery performed by public safety officers throughout the United States; police and firefighting departments typically award their members
medals at a state or local government level. The establishment of the Medal of Valor fills a huge void in the civilian decorations system of the United States, which was all the more timely given the catastrophe in New York three-and-a-half months later on
September 11, 2001.
The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor, which intentionally resembles the military's
Medal of Honor, is a
gilt, blue-enamelled, five-pointed, upside-down star (i.e. one arm points downwards), with each arm formed by a letter "V" (for
Valor), surrounded by a wreath of laurel. The central disc bears the obverse of the
Great Seal of the United States. The reverse bears the legend "FOR EXTRAORDINARY VALOR ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY", with the name of the recipient engraved at the centre. The medal is suspended on a silver gilt disc bearing a letter "V" surrounded by a wreath of laurels, which is in turn suspended on a neck ribbon, blue with white and red edge stripes (the national colours of the USA) and a gold centre stripe (symbolizing honor).
When the ribbon alone is worn, it carries a miniature silver gilt disc bearing a letter "V" surrounded by a wreath of laurels. There is also a lapel pin, which is the miniature of the medal without suspension.
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Department of Justice page on Medal of Valor
