Bill > HB658

This bill establishes a temporary program allowing retired police officers in first-class cities and townships to return to work in their former police departments under specific conditions. The program permits retired police officers to work for up to five years, provided they have no record of unacceptable behavior and complete an eight-week training program developed by the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission. Retired officers must make an irrevocable election regarding their pension benefits before participating, choosing either to continue receiving their current retirement pension or to discontinue those benefits during program participation. The program does not negatively impact retirement benefits, and participants will receive credited service for their work based on time and compensation. Only police officers who retired prior to the bill's effective date are eligible, and the program will expire six years after implementation. The bill defines key terms such as "municipality" (first-class cities and townships), "police department" (public agencies with law enforcement powers), and "police officer" (full-time or part-time employees in criminal or traffic law enforcement). The legislation aims to provide additional staffing support for police departments by leveraging the experience of recently retired officers.

Government Affairs

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=658