On February 5, 2018, National Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury wrote a letter to United States House of Representative Gerald E. Connolly in support of HR. 3303, the “Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned (RETIRE) Act.

 

Text of Letter:

Dear Representative Connolly,

I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for your bill HR. 3303, the “Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned (RETIRE) Act.”

Congress rightfully determined that Federal law enforcement officers should receive enhanced salary and retirement benefits, known as 6(c), due to the dangerous nature of their profession. Federal law enforcement officers must also pay an additional portion of their paychecks toward their retirement benefit. If Federal law enforcement officers are severely injured in the line of duty and cannot continue to be employed as law enforcement officers, they may lose those benefits. Those benefits may also be lost even if they decide to return to work for the Federal government in a civil service capacity.

These officers were severely injured in the defense of their nation and want to continue to serve. They should not be forced to lose the benefits they deserve from their time as a law enforcement officer because they were injured in the line of duty. Your bill gives these officers the opportunity to continue to receive the 6(c) retirement benefits they earned. Your bill will also allow these individuals to retire after 20 years of service just as if they were still a law enforcement officer. We are proud to support this bill.

On behalf of the more than 335,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I want to thank you for introducing this legislation to help our injured Federal officers. If I can be of any additional help please feel free to contact me or my Senior Advisor, Jim Pasco, in my Washington office.

Chuck Canterbury

National President