20000203 Chief Keeney LEOPS MGA Testimony

Chief Keeney LEOPS MGA Testimony

TESTIMONY OF CHIEF FRED KEENEY, DISTRICT HEIGHTS POLICE ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE ON SENATE BILL 175 LAW ENFORCEMENT PENSION SYSTEM

February 3, 2000

Good morning madam chair and members of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. My name is Fred Keeney and I am currently the Chief of Police for the City of District Heights. I am here representing the Police Executive Committee of the Maryland Municipal League. The Police Executives applaud the efforts of Senator Exum and the remaining Prince George’s County Senators, especially Senator Currie, whom represents District Heights, for bringing forward SB 175. This bill will make it more attractive for local government to participate in the Law Enforcement Officers Pension System known as LEOPS.

Currently, municipal law enforcement officers participate in one of three state pension plans; the traditional State Retirement Plan, Police and Fire Enhanced Plan and LEOPS. While not all local governments participate in one of the state’s pension systems, we believe that by allowing employee contributions to LEOPS, this plan becomes more attractive to participating local governments and will encourage them to make LEOPS available to the employee.

In Prince George’s County for example, more than twenty municipal agencies employee in excess of 300 police officers. Of these agencies, a mere handful participates in the state pension system because of the cost to local government. These costs range anywhere from approximately 18% to 24 % of the employee’s salary. With the authorization of an employee contribution of 5%, this reduces local government cost to approximately 13% to 19%, a much more attractive cost. LEOPS is not only an issue in Prince George’s County, but statewide.

I have heard from elected officials and police chief’s from Western Maryland and our Eastern Shore, all acknowledging recruitment and retention of police officers is a problem. In unison, we know that something must be done to enhance the benefits of municipal law enforcement. While many local governments do what they can to accomplish this, few have the ability to have their own pension system and rely upon the state to provide this benefit. The recruitment and retention of municipal law enforcement officers is a concern statewide!

Though this legislation only amends LEOPS, I would suggest that the committee evaluate amending all three pension systems that municipal law enforcement officers participate in to allow employee contributions. This will allow local governments in the system to move up to an enhanced program and perhaps encourage participation from non-participating local governments. The ability to participate in LEOPS or the state’s other pension system’s will greatly assist us with recruitment and retention of officers.