I remember reading a while back about the city of Harrisburg finally righting a wrong for its retired police officers, after failing to provide them with a proper cost-of-living increase (COLA for short) for – get this – over two decades.
That’s right, the last COLA they received was back in 2002. “In the meantime, prices have risen over 70 percent. This is no way to honor our police officers and firefighters for their service,” Rep. Steven Malagari (alongside Rep. Sean Dougherty) said in a memo.
That’s absolutely correct. Costs have increased significantly, from gas to food to service bills. In fact, a lot of officers struggle to keep up with said bills, even getting to the point of having to use a credit card or face debt.
Harrisburg did fix the situation. However, it was only with a mild increase — $75 a month for officers retired within a month to five years of retirement; $150 a month for ten to twenty years; and $300 for those retired over 20 years.
Does this help? Yes. But does this fix everything? No. The bottom line is that Harrisburg needs to do more. And by that, I mean adjusting for inflation. That 70 percent increase is not going to adjust to itself, after all.
But Harrisburg is doing something compared to other states. I looked further into the matter and found out how New Jersey left its officers out in the cold, failing to provide any sort of COLA since 2011. Fifteen years! And what’s more, some states don’t even adjust for a COLA whatsoever, leaving officers to rely on their pension, at best.
To which I add another point: “Your pension has no vest on it.”
The importance of a number lingers here, and, if it never changes, you never really get yourself prepared for what lies ahead. “So the question is now how big your number is, it is what your number will buy when you are 75,” I thought.
The fact of the matter is that police officers do a lot over the course of their career. Every day they put their lives on the line for us, whether we appreciate it or not. So, with that, they need to be considered for something better than a pension that doesn’t have a general increase based on how the world is changing.
And that deeply affects not only the retired officers out there, but also our current officers and first responders. They have a lot they’re going through right now, especially with the changing face of how some view law enforcement. The “defund the police” campaign did catastrophic damage, and, what’s worse, a number of Democratic leaders – including former President Joe Biden – bought into it. Not to mention how many people hate ICE agents and any law enforcement surrounding them.
As a result of this, many of these leaders have decided to drain police budgets, leaving officers high and dry. That might explain why so many states haven’t even bothered to apply a COLA, let alone give these hard-working men and women (and first responders) the benefits they deserve. I’m talking mental health support, an absolute must in this day and age. Not to mention better gear and, yes, that healthy pay increase that reminds them their effort is absolutely worth it.
Know why a lot of officers leave their post? Well, aside from this horrible treatment. They just can’t keep up with the condition of it. The failure of a proper COLA to adjust to the ever-changing world is terrible. And I still can’t believe some states don’t even consider it. Or, for that matter, New Jersey falling completely asleep for well over a decade and a half.
The bottom line is that some adjustments need to be made to give those retired Harrisburg officers peace of mind. Outside of that, though, there’s more work to be done for those still hard at work. Those Democratic leaders need to get over themselves and their faulty notions, and take care of the men and women with a badge who take care of us every day and night. Because, without them, well, who’s left to defend us?
Please, New Jersey. Please, other states. Consider applying a better COLA, not just one put together as an afterthought. These officers deserve the care – and more importantly, the respect – for the services they provide.
One last conclusive thought: “Do not let the last part of your life be the part where you find out it was not enough.” This holds so true for officers out there.
Editor's Note: Do you enjoy PJ Media's conservative reporting exposing the radical left and woke media? Support our work so we can keep bringing you the truth.
Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member