§3724. Pensions and benefits

Pensions and benefits shall be as follows:

(1) If any member of the police department, while in the active service of the police department, becomes and is found by the board of trustees to be temporarily, totally disabled, mentally or physically, for service in the police department by reason of service therein, the member shall receive monthly from the fund, during such total disability or until he becomes eligible for retirement on service basis, but not to exceed one year in any event, a sum equal to sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the monthly salary for the active member of the police department holding the position corresponding to that held by the beneficiary at the time he acquired the disability.

(2) If any member of the police department while in the active service of the police department becomes or is found to be by the board of trustees totally, permanently, physically or mentally disabled for service in the police department, and to do or perform work of any reasonable kind or character by reason of service in the police department, he shall receive monthly from the fund so long as the disability shall continue, a sum equal to sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the monthly salary of the active member of the police department holding the position corresponding to that held by the beneficiary at the time he acquired the disability until such time as he becomes eligible for retirement on service basis.

(3)(a) If any member of the police department becomes or is found to be totally, permanently, physically or mentally disabled for service in the police department by reason of service therein, but is found by the board of trustees to be physically and mentally capable and able to do work and perform work of any other reasonable kind or character and said work is available, he shall receive each month, as long as the disability shall continue, from the fund except as hereinafter provided, a sum equal to fifty percent of the monthly salary of the active member of the police department holding the position corresponding to that held by the beneficiary at the time he acquired the disability, until such time as he becomes eligible for retirement on service basis.

(b) If any member of the police department becomes or is found to be totally, permanently, physically or mentally disabled for service in the police department by reason of service therein, he shall receive each month, as long as the disability shall continue, from the fund except as hereinafter provided, a sum equal to sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the monthly salary; provided that the Civil Service Commission certify that such member is not capable of working in any meaningful and gainful employment due to such on-the-job incurred disability.

(4) "In the active service of said police department" for the purpose of this Subpart is when a member is on the payroll of the police department of the city of Shreveport. Such "active service" recognizes the members obligation to be on duty twenty-four hours per day.

(5) Retirement benefits for members of the police department eligible therefor shall be as follows:

(a) Any member who was employed by the police department on or before December 31, 1968, who serves in the police department for a period of twenty years shall, upon making proper written application to the board of trustees, be retired from service in said police department and shall be paid monthly a sum equal to sixty-six and two-thirds percent of his monthly salary. For each year served in addition to twenty, which additional years are served after July 12, 1977, the member shall receive an additional monthly benefit of .833 percent of his monthly salary, not to exceed a total monthly benefit of seventy-five percent of his monthly salary. The monthly salary shall be computed on the basis of the highest rate of pay for any twelve months prior to the date of retirement.

(b) Any member who is employed by the police department after December 31, 1968, who serves for a period of twenty-five years shall, upon making proper written application to the board of trustees, be retired from service in said police department and shall be paid monthly a sum equal to sixty-six and two-thirds percent of his monthly salary. For each year served in addition to twenty-five, which additional years are served after July 12, 1977, the member will receive an additional monthly benefit of 1.66 percent of his monthly salary, not to exceed a total monthly benefit of seventy-five percent of his monthly salary. The monthly salary shall be computed on the basis of the highest rate of pay for any twelve months prior to the date of retirement.

(6) On and after the date of January 1, 1969, a police officer of the police department who has reached, or thereafter reaches the age of sixty-two years shall be mandatorily retired in accordance with the provisions of this Subpart regardless of disability and irrespective of whether or not the member has applied therefor.

(7) Upon any member of the police department being retired upon pension by reason of disability, the said board of trustees shall have the right at any time, to cause the retired member to be brought before it and again examined by the city physician and/or other competent physicians and surgeons, to be selected by it, and also to examine other witnesses for the purpose of discovering whether such disability to perform the duties of the position held at the time of his removal from active service (or work of any other character) yet continues, and whether such retired member shall be continued on the pension roll until reinstated to his former rank in the active service of said police department. Such retired member shall be entitled to notice and to be present at the hearing of such evidence, shall be permitted to propound any questions pertinent or relevant to such matters, and shall also have the right to introduce upon his own behalf any competent evidence he may see fit. All witnesses so produced shall be examined under oath, and any member of said board of trustees is hereby authorized and empowered to administer such oath to such witness. The decision of said board of trustees shall be final and conclusive and no appeal shall be allowed therefrom, nor shall the same be subject to review, except by said board of trustees or upon writ of certiorari to the courts.

(8) If any member of the police department, while in the service of said police department or while eligible for or receiving benefits under the provisions of this Subpart, dies from any cause and leaves a surviving widow, the board shall direct the payment monthly from the fund to such widow, during the remainder of her life, or until remarriage, unless such remarriage occurs after age fifty-five, in an amount equal to fifty percent of a beginning policeman's pay and to each surviving minor child under the age of eighteen years a sum equal to seventeen and one-half percent of a beginning policeman's pay. However, the total monthly payment to be made at any time to a member's surviving widow and dependent children shall not exceed eighty-five percent of a beginning policeman's pay. Payments to such child or children shall continue after the remarriage of the widow but shall cease as to each child upon marriage. In order to receive the benefits herein provided for, a widow must have been married to such member before his removal from active service and must have been living with him at the time of death. Upon application therefor to the board of trustees, the benefits of a widow whose benefits have now terminated or hereafter terminate because of her remarriage shall be restored to the level at the time such benefits previously terminated upon a showing that the subsequent marriage has terminated, provided if her subsequent marriage was to a member of the fund she shall have the option of choosing restoration to her original benefit or the benefits to which she would be entitled because of the death of her second husband, but not both. If an applicant whose benefits have been restored, as here provided, again marries, her benefits shall terminate.

(9) Whenever an active or retired member of said police department shall die as aforesaid in Paragraph (8) hereof, the board of trustees shall appropriate from the Fund the sum of two hundred fifty five dollars for funeral and burial expenses of such deceased member.

(10) In the event of the death of a member of the police department as aforesaid in Paragraph (8) hereof leaving no wife, but leaving dependent children under the age of eighteen years, or dependent parents, each of said dependents shall be entitled to and shall be paid a sum equal to seventeen and one-half percent of a beginner policeman's salary, provided that the total benefits payable to dependents under this Paragraph shall not exceed a sum equal to fifty percent of a beginner policeman's salary; provided further that these benefits shall be payable until such dependent child reaches the age of eighteen years or marries, whichever occurs first.

(11) A member of the said police department hereinafter employed in the said police department for the first time after he shall have attained the age of thirty-six years shall not be eligible for any benefits under the provisions of this Subpart; nor shall he be required to pay anything into said fund.

(12) The benefits provided in the preceding Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall continue only until the time the said member would have been eligible for retirement under the provisions of this Subpart, and he continued in active service, and at such time he shall receive the benefits provided for under the retirement provisions of this Subpart.

(13) The benefits provided in this Subpart for minor children shall be paid to the surviving parent during the minority of said child, unless otherwise directed by said board.

Acts 1968, No. 641, §2. Amended by Acts 1972, No. 172, §2; Acts 1976, No. 595, §1; Acts 1977, No. 497, §1; Acts 1984, No. 785, §1, eff. upon approval of the City Council of Shreveport (approved Jan. 15, 1985); Acts 1990, No. 811, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1989, upon approval by the city of Shreveport by ordinance; Acts 1991, No. 598, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1989, upon approval by the city of Shreveport by ordinance; Redesignated from R.S. 33:2364 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 2004, No. 529, §1, eff. June 25, 2004; Acts 2014, No. 811, §4, eff. June 23, 2014.

NOTE: See Acts 2004, No. 529, §4, relative to effectiveness of Act. Also see Acts 2004, No. 519, §2, relative to repeal of Paragraph (8) as amended and reenacted by Acts 1990, No. 811 and Acts 1991, No. 598.

NOTE: Acts 2014, No. 811 changed terminology referring to persons with disabilities throughout the La. Revised Statutes and codes of law, and included a listing of terms that were deleted and their respective successor terms (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §36). The Act provides that it is not the intent of the legislature that changes in terminology effected therein alter or affect in any way the substance, interpretation, or application of any law or administrative rule; further provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to expand or diminish any right of or benefit for any person provided by any law or administrative rule (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §35(C) and (D)).