§ 45-6. Monthly dependency benefits.

A. 

Monthly dependency benefits shall be provided to a surviving spouse, and on the spouse's death, in equal shares to children until age 18, or if attending college until age 23, of a police officer who dies after having obtained eligibility to obtain dependency benefits, which shall be construed to mean that such police officer was receiving pension benefits or was eligible for a retirement pension when he died.

[Amended 7-8-2014 by Ord. No. 686]

B. 

Benefits payable to a dependent minor child shall continue until age 18, or if attending college until age 23. A child is considered to be attending college if he or she is enrolled at an accredited institution of higher learning and is carrying at least seven credit hours per semester.

C. 

Such dependency benefits shall apply to all officers who die by reason of a nonservice event, subject to the following:

[Amended 7-8-2014 by Ord. No. 686]

(1) 

Such benefits shall not be payable until the date on which the officer would have attained the age of retirement called for in § 45-4 and had 25 years of service had he lived and then shall be payable only at 50% of the rates called for under § 45-9 and shall be subject to the income limitations set forth under this section; or in place thereof, to take a full refund of contributions, with interest, computed in accordance with § 45-14, in which case the right to any further benefits is thereby terminated and forfeited.

(2) 

The election provided for above shall be made, in writing, within 30 days of death of the officer.

Amended 6-17-1982 by Ord. No. 320; 8-17-1983 by Ord. No. 329; 8-15-1990 by Ord. No. 397; 6-16-1993 by Ord. No. 435; 11-20-1996 by Ord. No. 467; 2-19-2003 by Ord. No. 540