Shortage About to Get Acute

FOP says they've passed the magic number of 130 officers putting in retirement papers for the "55 and out" package:

• Phase 2 of the premium free healthcare benefit at retirement required that at least 130 members apply for retirement in order for any member to enjoy this benefit upon retirement between April 1 and December 31, 2010.
  
  Today, the Lodge was notified that the 130 application threshold had been surpassed. Any member who submits a retirement PAR by December 31, 2009, with a retirement date of April 1 through December 31, 2010, will now be able to take advantage of this benefit. The member must have reached his 55th birthday by the requested date of retirement.

Since the first 130 have taken the first step, we expect a sizable number of the other 1,000 members eligible for retirement to take the plunge now. We could see one of the larger retirement years in recent memory in 2010.

We might also see one of the lowest hiring years ever. Whether this puts a strain on the pension or manpower shall be answered in short order.