LOCALIZE IT: Families of officers can wait years for death benefits. Find claims in your state

By RYAN J. FOLEY
Associated Press

EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:

A federal program that provides benefits to families of police officers and firefighters who die or become disabled on duty is rapidly growing while facing criticism for increasing delays in deciding claims.

Congress created the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program in 1976 to guarantee that the spouses and children of officers who put their lives on the line would receive financial support.

Repeated expansions in eligibility approved by Congress, including three passed in the last five years, have made the program more popular but complex to administer. Critics say the program fails some families by taking too long to grant or deny benefits and making inconsistent rulings.

An Associated Press analysis found that hundreds of families are waiting years to learn whether they qualify for payments, and more are ultimately being denied.

Local versions of this story are possible across the country, using data the AP has compiled on claims by state and interviews with local families and other stakeholders. The program pays a one-time benefit of nearly $450,000, plus higher education assistance.

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READ AP’S COVERAGE:

A Border Patrol agent died in 2009. His widow is still fighting a backlogged US program for benefits

Takeaways from AP’s investigation of US death benefits program for public safety officers

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WHERE TO FIND THE DATA:

The AP is providing data on roughly 1,300 pending claims, including more than 840 that have been waiting at least one year for a determination or a ruling on appeal. The data is broken down by the state of the claimant and type of claim and includes information on when they were filed and the reasons the program is citing for delays.

The program puts out two types of data reports: one weekly report on pending claims, and one report every 180 days with more detailed information about reasons for delays and denials. The AP used both to create the data set.

You can see how the number of cases and wait times have grown on PSOB’s website which houses both weekly reports and 180-day reports going back to 2017.

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THE DATA IS ANONYMIZED. HOW CAN I FIND ACTUAL CLAIMANTS IN MY STATE?

There are several ways to track down current and past claimants. Police departments often help claimants through the process with applications and paperwork, and have to provide the program some information themselves. Check with them to see if they would be willing to put you in touch with claimants to discuss their experiences.

Similarly, contact groups in your area that advocate for the families of public safety officers. For instance, a nonprofit called Concerns of Police Survivors has many chapters around the country that help relatives of fallen officers, including assisting them with claims. There are several other organizations around the country who may also be able to put you in touch with claimants such as Supporting Heroes, which helps families in Kentucky, Missouri and Indiana. Police unions often help, too.

Lastly, search news archives for any local stories in recent years about officers, firefighters and other first responders who died or were disabled on duty. Reach out to those families.

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WHICH STATES HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CLAIMS?

Claimants from New York account for 374 of the pending cases, or more than a quarter of the total. This partially reflects the large number of first responders who have died and become disabled while working on rescue, recovery and cleanup operations after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City. Many of these claims were filed after a 2021 law expanded their eligibility.

Behind New York, Texas (97), Florida (90), California (59) and New Jersey (47) have the most claims. But 14 other states have 20 or more, and nearly every state has at least one.

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WHAT ARE THE LONGEST PENDING CLAIMS?

The oldest two cases date back to 2010, involving disability claims filed by applicants in New York and South Carolina. But a dozen have been pending for a decade, and more than 120 have been pending for at least five years.

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CONSIDER THESE REPORTING THREADS

— Find claimants who have received benefits, been denied or are still waiting for a final answer and tell their stories. How have the benefits helped change people’s lives after tragedy struck? What is it like to wait years for a ruling on whether you qualify for funding? How does it feel to be denied?

— Use the data to dig into the backlog of claims from your state. How many pending claims are there and how long have they been pending? How do members of Congress, police departments and claimants feel about this?

— A recent law expanded eligibility to officers who die by suicide in some circumstances, which has been controversial within law enforcement. This change was inspired by the officers who committed suicide after the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol. But some law enforcement officials have protested the change, arguing suicide isn’t a line of duty death, and even refused to help some claimants. Look for local angles to tell this story.

— Another recent law covered officers who died after contracting the coronavirus, which has also led to a surge of claims. Find families who have filed for these benefits and learn about their experiences.

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READ PREVIOUS AP COVERAGE

Dozens of recruits nationwide have died while training to become police officers

Experts call for action to prevent deaths at US police academies, citing AP investigation

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Localize It is a reporting resource produced by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to the Local News Success team at localizeit@ap.org.