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Virginia Sheriffs’ Association
The Voice of Virginia’s Sheriffs & Deputies

SHERIFF’S OFFICE RESOURCES

Sheriffs, if you setup a memorial fund account for the fallen deputy sheriff, Auditor of Public Accounts, do not set the account up in your name or have contributions made payable to you!

Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute (VSI)
To Ease Community Distress – Immediate Death Benefit of $5,000
Sheriff’s Office must be a member of VSI to qualify

SURVIVOR/FAMILY RESOURCES

Virginia Line of Duty Act
The Line of Duty Act provides state-funded disability and death benefits for state and local public safety officers or their beneficiaries due to disability or death resulting from the performance of duties. Benefits are available to officers of localities participating in the program. More information may be found via the links below:
https://www.valoda.org/

Burial Assistance
Dignity Memorial Funeral Benefits
Provider: Dignity Memorial Funeral, Cremation, & Cem.
Summary: The Dignity Memorial Public Servants Program offers no-cost tributes for career and volunteer law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency services personnel who fall in the line of duty. In addition to providing funeral, cremation and burial services, the Public Servants Program also provides extended counseling services to the grieving family.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/about-dignity-memorial/supporting-our-communities/honoring-those-who-serve
Visit website for list of participating locations.
(800) 344-6489

Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. provides complimentary burial vaults and related services for fallen law enforcement officers. For more information visit: http://www.wilbert.com/commemorating-first-responders/about-the-program/ or call (888) WILBERT.
Casualty Assistance Plan

Badge of Honor Memorial Foundation
Casualty Assistance Plan/Formality of assisting the family/Funeral service formality
http://www.bohmf.org/casualty-assistance-plan/

Bureau of Justice Assistance/US DOJ – Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Programs
https://bja.ojp.gov/program/psob/about

Social Security Administration
www.ssa.gov

Virginia Death Benefit Payment
http://www.trs.virginia.gov/

Virginia Chapter Concerns of Police Survivors
http://www.vacops.org/

Virginia Public Safety Foundation
http://www.vpsf.org/

Health Insurance
COBRA Health Insurance Requirements
Provider: U.S. Department of Labor
Summary: A federal law known as COBRA (short for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) guarantees that the employer of the deceased officer must make available to the surviving spouse and their dependent children the same type of health insurance as was provided prior to the officer’s death. Coverage is available for up to 36 months and must be paid by the surviving insured. There is no provision in the law for the employer to pay for the health insurance.
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/cobra.htm
(866) 487-2365

Health Benefits Available in Virginia
Summary: Survivors of all Virginia law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty on or after April 8, 1972, are entitled to health insurance coverage.
Details & Applicable Instructions: Survivors of all Virginia law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty on or after April 8, 1972, are entitled to health insurance coverage. For spouses, continued health insurance will terminate upon such spouse’s death or coverage by alternate health insurance. For dependent children, coverage will terminate upon the dependent’s death, marriage, coverage by alternate health insurance, or 21st birthday. Continued health care insurance will be provided beyond the dependent’s 21st birthday if the dependent is a full-time college student and will continue until such time as the dependent ceases to be a full-time student or reaches his 25th birthday, whichever occurs first. Continued health care insurance shall also be provided beyond the dependent’s 21st birthday if the dependent is mentally or physically disabled, and such coverage will continue until three months following the cessation of the disability.

The State Comptroller will provide forms to law enforcement agencies so that survivors can make a claim for this benefit, which will be paid by the State. Reference Virginia State Statute 2.1-133.7:1

Workers Compensation
Federal Workers Comp for Non-Federal Law Enforcement Officers
Provider: U.S. Office of Workers Compensation Programs
Amount: Varies
Summary: Survivors of local or state law enforcements officers who are killed while arresting a fugitive wanted by, or committing a crime against, the federal government, or by prisoners held on federal charges, may be eligible for federal works comp benefits.
http://www.dol.gov/owcp/
(202) 513-6800

Pension
United States Armed Forces Veterans Pension
Provider: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Summary: Many law enforcement officers are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and a number of survivor’s benefits are available to the spouse and children of a deceased veteran. Included in these benefits are: a death pension, funeral expenses, life insurance, and burial plot allowance.
(800) 827-1000

EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF A FALLEN LEO

PSOB Education Benefits
https://bja.ojp.gov/program/psob/benefits#k00l

Virginia Education Assistance
http://www.schev.edu/
(804) 225-2600

C.O.P.S. Scholarship
https://www.concernsofpolicesurvivors.org/scholarship
(573) 346-4911

Charles Homer Barton Scholarship/The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia
https://www.cfnova.org/scholarship/charles-homer-barton-scholarship-fund
(703) 917-2600

Fraternal Order of Eagles
http://www.foe.com/Charities/MemorialFoundation.aspx
(614) 883-2200

HEROES Inc. Death Benefit Payment & Scholarship
https://heroes.org/about-us/why-heroes-inc/
(202) 638-6658

National Rifle Association/The Jeanne E. Bray Memorial Scholarship Awards Program
http://le.nra.org/law-enforcement-benefits.aspx

Purple Heart Educational Benefits
Provider: Military Order of the Purple Heart
Summary: The MOPH Scholarship Program is a competitive scholarship program that awards approximately eighty (80) scholarships to Purple Heart recipients and their spouses, children, and grandchildren each year.
https://www.purpleheart.org/ScholarshipProgram

*Must be a member of the organizations below in order
to qualify for benefits*

FOP DC Lodge 1 Death Benefit Payment
https://www.dc-fop.org/benefits/member-benefits

National Guard
Summary: Members of the National Guard are provided with $50,000 life insurance policy that covers them on and off military duty. Contact the member’s military unit and they will assist in filing the paperwork. The US Army Reserve may be of help if the deceased was a Reservist.

National Rifle Association Line of Duty Death Benefit
https://le.nra.org/officer-benefits-from-the-nra/

National Sheriffs’ Association Death Benefits
https://www.sheriffs.org/sites/default/files/Involuntary%20ADD%20Summary.pdf

Southern States PBA Death Benefit Payment
www.sspba.org/

Woodmen of the World 1st Responders Benefit
http://www.woodmen.org

Additional resources can be found on the Behind the Line NOVA website, by clicking HERE.