Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor (MOV)

Honoring Bravery & Sacrifice: Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor

August 2025

Every year, BJA accepts nominations for the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor. The nomination period for the 2024-2025 Medal of Valor is from August 4, 2025, to October 3, 2025. All acts of valor that took place between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025, are eligible for nomination.

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Firefighter Brendan Gaffney (Fire Department City of New York, New York)

Learn about Firefighter Brendan Gaffney and the actions that led to them receiving the Medal of Valor.

Lieutenant John Vanderstar (Fire Department City of New York, New York)

Learn about Lieutenant John Vanderstar and the actions that led to them receiving the Medal of Valor.

Sergeant Tu Tran (Lincoln Police Department, Nebraska)

Learn about Sergeant Tu Tran and the actions that led to them receiving the Medal of Valor.

Sergeant Jeffrey Mathes, Detective Michael Collazo, Detective Ryan Cagle and Detective Zachary Plese, and Officer Rex Engelbert (Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Tennessee)

Learn about Sergeant Jeffrey Mathes, Detective Michael Collazo, Detective Ryan Cagle, Detective Zachary Plese, and Officer Rex Engelbert and the actions that led to them receiving the Medal of Valor.

January 3, 2025, Medal of Valor Ceremony

Learn about the Medal of Valor recipients recognized in a ceremony on January 3, 2025.

February 14, 2003, Medal of Valor Ceremony Photo

Following is a photo from the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor ceremony held on February 14, 2003:

Medal of Valor ceremony - February 14, 2003 — (View larger image.)

February 20, 2013, Medal of Valor Ceremony Photos

View photos from the February 20, 2013, Medal of Valor Ceremony.

July 27, 2017, Medal of Valor Ceremony Video

Watch a video of the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor ceremony that took place on July 27, 2017.

Special Agents David Bailey and Crystal Griner (United States Capitol Police) and Officers Nicole Battaglia, Kevin Jobe, and Alexander Jensen (Alexandria Police Department, Virginia)

Special Agents David Bailey and Crystal Griner (United States Capitol Police) and officers Nicole Battaglia, Kevin Jobe, and Alexander Jensen (Alexandria, Virginia, Police Department) exhibited extraordinary valor on June 14, 2017, in confronting and neutralizing a heavily-armed assailant, and in so doing, likely prevented a massacre from taking place in Alexandria, Virginia.

On the morning of June 14, 2017, at...

Sergeant Kendrick Simpo (Houston Police Department, Texas)

Learn about Sergeant Kendrick Simpo and the actions that led to him receiving the Medal of Valor.

Firefighter Patrick Thornton (Fire Department of New York City, New York)

Learn about Firefighter Patrick Thornton and the actions that led to him receiving the Medal of Valor.

Detective Sumit Sulan (New York City Police Department, New York)

Learn about Detective Sumit Sulan and the actions that led to him receiving the Medal of Valor.

Lieutenant Jason Hickey (Fire Department of New York City, New York)

Learn about Lieutenant Jason Hickey and the actions that led to him receiving the Medal of Valor.

Corporal Jeffrey Farmer (Littleton Police Department, Colorado)

Learn about Corporal Jeffrey Farmer and the actions that led to him receiving the Medal of Valor.

Firefighter Justin Hespeler (Fire Department of New York City, New York)

Learn about Firefighter Justin Hespeler and the actions that led to him receiving the Medal of Valor.

Deputy Bobby Hau Pham (Clermont County Sheriff's Office, Ohio)

Learn about Deputy Bobby Hau Pham and the actions that led to him receiving the Medal of Valor.

Fallen Detective Wilbert Mora and Fallen Detective Jason Rivera (New York City Police Department, New York)

Learn about fallen Detectives Wibert Mora and Jason Rivera and the actions that led to them receiving the Medal of Valor.

May 17, 2023, Medal of Valor Ceremony

Learn about the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor recipients recognized in a ceremony on May 17, 2023.

Submit Nomination

The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor (MOV) period is now open.

The MOV nomination submission period is open from August 4, 2025, until October 3, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET.

The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor (MOV) is cited by the Attorney General and awarded by the President to a public safety officer(s) who has exhibited exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of...

Partner Toolkit

The Partner Toolkit is intended to spread awareness about the Medal of Valor and consists of email and social media content, as well as graphics that can be leveraged.

Honoring Public Safety Officers through the Medal of Valor

Learn about past recipients of the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor and submit a nomination for a deserving individual.

Deadline Extended for 2022 Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Nominations

Nominations accepted until August 8, 2022.

Firefighter Abraham Miller (Fire Department City of New York, New York)

On September 29, 2020, Ladder Company 23 responded to a reported fire at a six-story, non-fireproof, multifamily dwelling. Upon arrival, members saw heavy fire coming out of two fifth-floor windows at the front of the building. The fire was venting onto the front fire escape, completely cutting off the secondary means of egress for the occupants. Firefighter Abraham Miller, assigned the roof position in Ladder...

Officers Ryan Smith, Vincent Mendoza, and Robert Paul III (California Highway Patrol, California)

Learn about the heroic actions of California Highway Patrol Officers Ryan Smith, Vincent Mendoza, and Robert Paul III, recipients of the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor.

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The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor (MOV) period is now open.