PSO Medal of Valor

June 12, 2008
"Key to the thousands of Reserve and Auxiliary officers... they're also eligible for our nation’s highest police honor."

On December 9, 1861 Iowa Senator James W. Grimes introduced United States Senate Bill No. 82 designed to "promote the efficiency of the Navy" by authorizing the production and distribution of "medals of honor", now more commonly known as the United State Congressional Medal of Honor. On December 21st of that year the bill was passed, authorizing 200 such medals be produced. President Lincoln signed the bill and the (Navy) Medal of Honor was born. Several months later a similar bill was also signed introducing the Army's version of the Medal of Honor and in 1965 the Air Force instituted their version of the Medal of Honor, rounding out all branches of service with the Marine Corps and Coast Guard falling under the Navy's version of the medal. The Medal of Honor is the only United States Military Award that is worn around the neck rather than pinned to the uniform.

Fast forward to May 31, 2001, in a similar effort to recognize members of public safety, both law enforcement and the fire service, President George Bush signed into law the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act, creating the highest national award for valor by a public safety officer. Like the Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to our bravest military men and women, the PSO Medal of Valor is awarded by the President of the United States to a public safety officer who has exhibited exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind, and unusual swiftness of action, regardless of his or her own personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect human life.

Those eligible for this award must be a public safety officer defined as a person serving a public agency, with or without compensation, as a firefighter, law enforcement officer, or emergency services officer. The term "law enforcement officer" includes a person who is a corrections or court officer or a civil defense officer. Key to the thousands of Reserve and Auxiliary officers throughout out nation who volunteer their time to serve their communities are the words, "with or without compensation", meaning they are also eligible for our nations highest honor.

The nomination period for this award is currently open for acts of valor that occurred between June 1, 2007 to May 31, 2008 and must be received by July 31, 2008. Agencies wishing to learn more about this outstanding source of national recognition and/or wishing to nominate a member of their staff may learn more online at the Medal of Valor Nomination link below. Individuals selected to receive the award by its eleven member board will be flown to Washington, DC, at a ceremony conducted at the White House in the Oval Office by President Bush, this being his final year to present the awards. Each year multiple Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor awards are given out during this ceremony to well deserving men and women.

What does it take to receive this award?

On May 22, 2006, Officer Kevin M. Howland, of the Sacramento, California, Police Department was on duty and conducting a search for the vehicle of an armed robbery suspect. Officer Howland observed a vehicle similar to what he was searching for and stopped the car to interview four individuals inside. After talking with them, Officer Howland became suspicious and requested back-up. The driver suddenly accelerated in reverse, striking the leg of the officer, who backed up and drew his service weapon. The suspect vehicle then accelerated directly toward Officer Howland, pinning him between it and his own patrol car. The suspects continued to accelerate through the parking lot with Officer Howland clinging to the hood and firing into the suspect vehicle to stop the suspects' escape and prevent innocent bystanders from being injured. The suspect vehicle turned, rolling Officer Howland off the hood. Despite his injuries, Officer Howland continued to pursue the suspects on foot. Suffering from fatal gunshot wounds, the driver crashed the vehicle. Subsequently, Officer Howland was able to coordinate the arrest of the remaining suspects. It is his continued diligence - even with injuries - that afforded safety for those around him and led to the suspects' apprehension. Police Officer Kevin M. Howland received our nation’s highest honor for his actions that clearly saved the lives of others while risking his own.

On July 29, 2005, Officer Todd M. Myers, of the West Hartford Connecticut Police Department was off-duty and on his way to work when he witnessed a dump truck lose control, speed downhill, and veer into oncoming traffic. The truck overturned and slid on its side, destroying many vehicles before it burst into flames. Officer Myers, 100 yards away in his personal vehicle, ran toward the scene as gas tanks from cars around him began to explode. Risking his own safety, he cut a trapped female driver from one of the burning vehicles and suffered first and second degree burns on his right arm as he dragged her to safety. Officer Myers returned to direct responding units, pull other victims from their vehicles, and assist in the care of other victims until paramedics could arrive. Overall, this 20-vehicle crash, which caused four fatalities and numerous injuries, would have been much worse if not for the heroic actions of Officer Todd Myers for which he received our nation’s highest honor for his actions that day which saved the lives of others while risking his own life.

Is your officer deserving of this award?

Sitting on the selection committee for a number of national awards provided each year to citizens and police volunteers, I can tell you that one of the most frustrating things we deal with as a group is learning of deserving individuals who would most likely receive our award yet their agency never took the time to nominate them. In following up after the fact what we usually hear is "we didn't think they would have a chance of being selected so we didn't nominate them". My advice to the readers of this article is simple, if you feel a person in your department deserves this award, then there is a good chance others will also. The worse that could happen is they are not selected but the fact that you submitted their name and story of valor to the selection committee for consideration is in itself a great source of recognition for whatever they did to deserve the nomination and consideration. Still not convinced? Just consider how many ads you've seen for movies where they list he actors and actresses as "Academy Award Nominee" versus the word "winner". Just being nominated in itself is a great reward!

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