Posted On: February 15, 2005, 8:09 am CST

Posted By: Jim

This is a much needed incentive for Police and firefighters. Recruitment is at an all time low. The salaries that are paid to police and firemen is rediculous and thier retirements are even worse. Most retire just at the poverty level for salaries. To ask them to take the beating of the job, then retire and have to pay medical insurance mostly due to the injuries and abuse they took on the job is just rediculous. They deserve our support and to pay for thier insurance at retirement is not a huge expense as some people would lead you to believe. There are less than 2500 full time police officers in this entire state and approximately 1500 firefighters. That is about 2/3'rds of the employees of BIW. On average according to the Maine State Retirment bureau there are approx 25-30 persons that retire each year. The average life span of a police officer after retirement is less than 10 years and for a firefighter 14 years. Cmon people, its time to support the men in blue. They are there when you need them, its time for us to be there for them.