Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
First Coast Connect

Former Retirement Task Force Chair Scheu On '$5 Million Cop'

Montreat Conference Center

Lucrative retirement benefits for the city’s police and firefighters are renewing calls for reform.

An investigative report in the Florida Times-Union is calling one Jacksonville Sheriff's Office retiree the $5 million cop, because that's how much he can expect to draw from his police pension over the next 25 years.

And he’s not alone.

The report finds a group of retirees are guaranteed to turn some $4 million in benefits through the city’s DROP program for police and firefighters.

It’s generous benefits like these that have sparked calls for pension reform in Jacksonville and in particular figuring out a way to pay down the city’s growing unfunded liability.

Attorney Bill Scheu, who chaired the city's Retirement Reform Task Force, spoke with WJCT's Melissa Ross about these benefits and the issue of fixing Jacksonville's pension debt.

  You can follow Melissa Ross on Twitter @MelissainJax

Melissa Ross joined WJCT in 2009 with 20 years of experience in broadcasting, including stints in Cincinnati, Chicago, Orlando and Jacksonville. During her career as a television and radio news anchor and reporter, Melissa has won four regional Emmys for news and feature reporting.