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Unfortunately, nearly every article, pension “expert” and editorial on the subject misses the underlying problem by focusing on the egregious stores of a few retired officers.
The real problem with the system for awarding accidental disabilities stems entirely from a State Supreme Court decision that widened the definition for approving accidental disabilities thereby making it almost impossible for the PFRS Board of Trustees to deny an application.
Under the old disability rules, it is hard to believe that any of the stories that have made headlines would have been approved.
Under the new rules, the Board of Trustees have had their judgment in these cases restricted by the Courts.
ARTICLE BY: NJ PBA Pres. Anthony F. Wieners
The solution to this problem however is simple: redefine what constitutes a “traumatic event” for public safety injuries thereby closing the loophole created by the State Supreme Court.
The State PBA has suggested that, testified to the problem and offered a legal solution during every discussion of pension reform since 2008. Do this and gone will be the slip and falls and the “injuries” that no one would consider disabling from police work or any other kind of employment.
But the media and political reaction to this point has been to demand benefit cuts, to cap what truly injured officers can earn and to add layers of bureaucracy that don’t get to the root of the problem here.
If we make this easy fix the State will cut the vast majority of eligible cases and save millions. But the State PBA passionately believes that an officer who is severely wounded in the line of duty shouldn’t be treated like other employees and be told their injuries and service is to be “rewarded” by cuts to their future earnings.
These brave and truly injured cops already gave at the office with their bodies and their minds and don’t deserve to see their pensions cut so that others can win points in the media.
No one wants to secure the future of the PFRS more than the law enforcement officers who are its members. No one has pushed for reform to the accidental disability process more than we have.
But Trenton needs to fix the law that is broken and not resort to the lowest common denominator of ignoring the problem by simply slashing benefits for those who truly earned them.
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