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Session: State Capitol, Room 118 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-3777 Fax: (907) 465-2819 Send E-Mail Interim: 10928 Eagle River Road, Suite 141 Eagle River, AK 99577 Phone: (907) 694-8944 Fax: (907) 694-8945 |
PERS Benefits for Police and Fire Dispatchers
An Act permitting certain dispatchers in police or fire departments or for the state troopers to convert their credited service under the public employees' retirement system to credited service as peace officers; and providing for an effective date.
HB 230 will allow police and fire dispatchers at retirement to have the option to convert their service as dispatchers to service as a peace officer. To qualify for a peace officer retirement the dispatchers must have at least twenty years of service as a dispatcher or peace officer.
The dispatcher must pay for the full cost of conversion of the credited service as a dispatcher to the peace officer retirement. The financial impact on the state, the municipalities, and the PERS system is revenue neutral. There will be no additional cost to the government for this benefit for the dispatchers.
The dispatchers are in a high stress occupation and the burnout that dispatchers experience is reflected in higher than normal turnover. There have been very few dispatcher retirements with 30 years of service. With the option for 20 year retirement we are hopeful that retention will be improved. If retention is improved there is a probability that training and recruitment cost will be lower in the future.
Basically, we have been approached by a group of citizens who want a government service, and they are willing to pay for that service. It is the sponsor's belief that the legislature should embrace any group that seeks a government service and is willing to pay for it.