Evening star., 1952-02-11
The D. C. Pension System
Disability Retirements Allowed
Despite Prospects of New Job

-,
him legally unfit to hold a police
or fireman's job does not neces-
sarily make him physically un-
able to hold another job.
Some who retire live solely on
their retirement income. One OF
these is former Fire Chief Stephen
r. Porter, who was 81 last Decen1=
ber 1. He was retired because of
Ia heart ailment. ~ @s.ses, -.
"There was terrific FIRE at the
Guggenheim place Tin 1885," Mr..
Porter told a Star reporter. "and
like a fool, I went inside with my
men.
II should have stayed outside. !
got this terrible pain in my chest,
and that washed me up. I worked
there all night, and the doctors
were watching me. They told me
to take it easy"
Inspector Robert S. Bryant is
the police member of the Police
and Firemen's Retiring Board.
Other members are Fourth Bat
talon Chief Roy Hanback, for the
firemen and Assistant Corpora
ton Counsel Stanley De Neale for
the District. Mr.: De Neale rep
resents Corporation Counsel Ver-
non West.
A pensioner may ask the board
for an increase in his pension. The
board has the power to increase or
decrease the amount. One board
member, said a pension rarely is
cut although II has been done.
High Standards.
Because of the high physical
standards required for policemen
and firemen, it often is possible
for a member, of either depart-
ment to retire on physical disabil-
ity before reaching the retirement
age or before having Is years OF
service. -.
The courts have held that a
pension received for, retirement
ON physical disability is not liable
to income tax. Thus it is to the
advantage of the officer to retire
on physical disability, rather than
to await the normal retirement
procedure.
When the Commissioners pro-
posed their reorganization plan,
they asked affected departments
for their views. In his report back
to the Commissioners, DR.. Daniel
l.. Seckinger, health director, said
he felt that further study and
understanding of the functions
of the Board of Police and Fire
Surgeons would be necessary to
comment intelligently on the pro-
posal to place the board under
supervision Of the Health Depart
ment.
No mystery. shrouds the .func-
tions of the board. On retire
ments, it acts simply to report on
the physical condition of the man
involved n &..
May Apply ut IS.
Under the. current retirement
regulations, policemen or firemen
may apply for a pension when
they reach SIS, if they have. had
25 years of service in the depart-'
ment. All-must retire when they
become 64. They may retire at
any time on physical disability.
Applications for retirement are
made to the Police and Firemens
Retiring and Relief Board. Those
seeking physical disability retire.
ment are sent to the Board OF
Police and Fire Surgeons Tor
examination. Under normal peac-.
tice, though it is not specifically
provided for by law. a finding of
10 per cent disability is stifhcient
to permit disability tax-free re-
tirement.
Results Of the examination
then are returned to the Retiring
and Relief Board, which decides
on the basis of the results and
the doctors comments whether
the man is or is not fit physically
for work as policeman or fireman.
If the man is adjudged phySi-
cally unfit, the case is referred to
the Commissioners, who make the
final decision. Pensions are one.
half the regular salary OF the man