DOI Urges New NYPD Pension Rules Over $935 Million Disability Program
Updated
Updated · New York Daily News · Sep 15
DOI Urges New NYPD Pension Rules Over $935 Million Disability Program
3 articles · Updated · New York Daily News · Sep 15
Summary
$935 million in NYPD accident disability pensions came under scrutiny after New York City's DOI said the fund's current rules leave it vulnerable to improper payments and misuse.
A 19-page report said the Police Pension Fund has required periodic medical re-exams only once since 2019, despite having that authority, and should adopt routine reviews used by other law-enforcement systems.
Four unnamed officers flagged by anonymous tips were recommended for new medical exams after DOI reviewed videos and posts showing weightlifting, contact sports, dance routines, travel and heavy-equipment use; benefits could be reduced or revoked if they can work.
John Chell's $295,919.64 annual pension and Juanita Holmes' pension of more than $350,000 were cited as examples of a system that evaluates applicants too uniformly and struggled even to define Chell's actual job duties.
The fund pays more than 50,000 retired NYPD officers a total of $3.6 billion a year, making DOI's call for tighter standards a broader test of how the city polices largely tax-free disability benefits.