42 USC § 15204 - Definitions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s15204"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "42 USC § 15204 - Definitions"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
section_number: "15204"
section_name: "Definitions"
chapter_number: 145
chapter_name: "PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER MEDAL OF VALOR AND TRIBUTES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 107–12, § 5, May 30, 2001, 115 Stat. 22.)"
---


# § 15204. Definitions

In this chapter:

**(1)** **Public safety officer** The term “public safety officer” means a person serving a public agency, with or without compensation, as a firefighter, law enforcement officer, or emergency services officer, as determined by the Attorney General. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “law enforcement officer” includes a person who is a corrections or court officer or a civil defense officer.

**(2)** **State** The term “State” means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 107–12, § 5, May 30, 2001, 115 Stat. 22.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in introductory provisions, was in the original “this Act”, meaning , May. 30, 2001, , known as the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under  and Tables.