§ 15-97. Prior police service.

Unless otherwise prohibited by law, and except as provided for in section 15-71, the years or fractional parts of years that a member previously served as a full-time police officer with the city during a period of previous employment and for which period accumulated contributions were withdrawn from the fund, or the years and fractional parts of years that a member served as a full-time police officer for any other municipal, county or state law enforcement department in the state shall be added to his years of credited service provided that:

(1)

The member contributes to the fund the sum that he would have contributed, based on his salary and the member contribution rate in effect at the time that the credited service is requested, had he been a member of the system for the years or fractional parts of years for which he is requesting credit plus amounts actuarially determined such that the crediting of service does not result in any cost to the fund plus payment of costs for all professional services rendered to the board in connection with the purchase of years of credited service. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, a member may request and receive one calculation at no cost to the member, for the purchase of credited service under this section or this section combined with section 15-96, military service prior to employment.

(2)

Multiple requests to purchase credited service pursuant to this section may be made at any time prior to retirement.

(3)

Payment by the police officer of the required amount shall be made within six (6) months of his request for credit, but not later than the retirement date, and shall be made in one lump sum payment upon receipt of which credited service shall be given.

(4)

The maximum credit under this section for service other than with the city combined with service purchased pursuant to section 15-96, shall be five (5) years of credited service and shall count for all purposes, except vesting and eligibility for not-in-line of duty disability benefits. There shall be no maximum purchase of credit for prior service with the city and such credit shall count for all purposes, including vesting.

(5)

In no event, however, may credited service be purchased pursuant to this section for prior service with any other municipal, county or state law enforcement department, if such prior service forms or will form the basis of a retirement benefit or pension from a different employer's retirement system or plan as set forth in section 15-85, subsection (l)(2).

(6)

For purposes of determining credit for prior service as a police officer as provided for in this section, in addition to service as a police officer in this state, credit may be given for federal, other state, county or municipal service if the prior service is recognized by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission within the Department of Law Enforcement, as provided under F.S. ch. 943, or the police officer provides proof to the board that such service is equivalent to the service required to meet the definition of a police officer under section 15-71.

(7)

In furtherance of the exercise of its control and discretion over the department organization and operations, the city may agree to purchase for a member, all or any portion of the service described in this section, for workforce reduction or personnel re-allocation purposes. In that case, the city will pay to the plan, all or a portion of the amount defined in subsection (1), for the agreed upon specific credited service, with the member paying the remainder of the required amount, provided that said action does not have any impact upon the other plan members' benefits or contributions to the plan or the actuarial soundness of the plan.

(Ord. No. 2007-33, § 1, 11-7-07; Ord. No. 2009-30, § 14, 11-4-09; Ord. No. 2011-03, § 3, 2-2-11; Ord. No. 2016-32, § 1, 11-2-16)