By Nolan Wilkinson
The Frederick News-Post, Md.
FREDERICK, Md. — The city of Frederick has agreed to increase health benefits for Frederick Police Department officers who suffer career-ending injuries in the line of duty.
The agreement ensures any officer catastrophically injured in the line of duty, regardless of age or years of service, can receive 75% reimbursement for health insurance under the city’s plan if they are forced to end their career with the department as a result.
The Frederick City Council approved the changes on Jan. 16 . They were passed as two memorandums of understanding (MOU) for commissioned and non-commissioned officers.
The agreement modifies the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Francis Scott Key Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 91, the Frederick Police Department’s union.
“What the language of these MOUs does, essentially, is allows us to treat those officers as if they had been able to finish their careers as they had anticipated doing,” City Attorney Rachel Nessen said at the meeting.
Previously, only officers with 22 years of service under the union’s pension plan or those at least 62 years old with 10 years of service under the same pension plan met the requirements for covering 75% of health insurance costs after leaving the department.
Officers not meeting the requirements for 75% could have tiered percentages of their health insurance costs covered by the city, depending on how long they were in the service.
Charles Snyder , the president of FPD’s union, said the “gap” in the CBA was discovered after something that happened last year, but he could not comment on the specifics of the situation.
Snyder said career-ending injuries happen “very, very infrequently,” but the agreement was a “good change” for the department.
The changes would likely be included in the next CBA the union signs with the city, Snyder said. The current CBA was put into effect in July 2024 and ends in 2027.
“This is an extraordinarily rare circumstance and we extend all our gratitude and love to families affected by horrendous events beyond their control,” Council Member Kelly Russell said at a meeting on Thursday. “I am really just happy and proud to support this action to help take care of somebody who sacrificed a career against their will and give him some means of comfort.”
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