5 U.S.C. § 8191 — Determination of eligibility

This subchapter's benefits go to "eligible officers" and their survivors. The Secretary of Labor decides, using their own judgment, whether a person was an eligible officer on a specific occasion. A person is eligible if they were a law enforcement officer engaged in one of three things: (1) trying to catch someone (A) for a crime against the United States, (B) wanted by U.S. law enforcement for a U.S. crime, or (C) sought as a material witness in a U.S. criminal case; (2) guarding someone held for a U.S. crime or as a material witness; or (3) lawfully trying to prevent a crime against the United States. The person must not have been an "employee" as defined elsewhere in this law at the time, and must have suffered an injury that would have qualified for compensation if they had been such an employee doing their job. A person who would otherwise be entitled to a benefit because of an eligible officer's disability or death is not disqualified just because the person the officer was chasing was wanted for a crime against some other country instead of the United States.