“If an anti-police environment were driving separations, we would expect to see a large number of separations with years of service insufficient to retire,” Larry Hadfield, department spokesperson, said in an email. “So far, we have not seen that.”
As of Tuesday, 2,171 cops have left the department in 2020. That’s a 72% increase from the 1,262 who left during the same period of 2019.
Chicago police officers have been retiring at double the normal rate recently, raising concerns that the number of new hires won’t keep pace with the number leaving.
“Apparently, the pension section is only taking a certain amount of people per day and I think they are backed up ’til late July, early August,” one cop said.
Here are a few thoughts I've collected over the years of knowing a great many retired officers who are incredibly happy and successful after they've shelved the uniform, returned to civilian ranks, and done amazing things as "regular people" after leaving active-duty.
A detective with the Warren (RI) Police Department who suffered a staph infection in 1998 and has been on paid medical leave ever since has reportedly retired.
An officer retiring from the Quincy (MA) Police Department received a standing ovation from his now-former colleagues as he walked out of the agency's headquarters building.
An officer with the San Diego Police Department who is preparing to retire from nearly two decades of service to her community was given the opportunity this week to add an unusual garment to her duty uniform—the "caddy bib" for none other than PGA legend Tiger Woods.
Officer James Zegar served more than a quarter century in law enforcement.
Officers in Oaxaca, Mexico often retire in their 80s or even 90s because they cannot afford to live off the miniscule pensions the government provides.
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