LAKELAND, Fla. — After 20 years with the Lakeland Police Department, Phillip Smith thought retirement would provide financial stability, but now he says that's no longer the case.
“We have people who are making less than $400 a month and trying to live off of that. That’s not possible. That’s not even feasible in any stretch of the imagination,” Smith said.
WATCH: Retired Lakeland police officers petition for pension increases amid inflation
Smith recently launched an online petition calling on the city to implement annual cost-of-living adjustments, also known as COLA, for retired police officers.
Smith told Tampa Bay 28 reporter Rebecca Petit many retirees like himself are dealing with health issues from years on the job, making it difficult to find work later in life.
“Years and years, decades of pursuits, kicking in doors, fighting resisting suspects, that takes its toll. It’s like playing in the NFL. You can’t just keep doing that and get up and expect to have a normal life. You’re so beat up,” Smith said.
He said former officers are struggling with rising costs for housing, groceries and healthcare, while their monthly pension checks have remained unchanged for years.
“From 2009, when the pension was created, until today, there has been a 45-50% cost of living increase in the city of Lakeland. No increase for retirees,” Smith said.
He points to neighboring police departments that provide annual increases to retirees.
Tampa Bay 28 reached out to the City of Lakeland. A spokesperson said in a statement:
“Currently, no formal request has been made to the City. There is a process involving multiple parties that would be necessary before any action could be considered. Should a formal request be presented to the City, all relevant factors will be thoroughly reviewed. The Lakeland Police Department retiree pension system is managed independently by its governing board.”
Smith said retirees were initially told that the only way a cost-of-living increase could be funded was for current sworn officers to contribute more to the pension system.
“We will not accept anything that has to do with taking money from these hard-working men and women to fund our cost-of-living allowance,” Smith said.
Retirees plan to present their request to the city's Pension Board at its Aug. 18 meeting.
Share Your Story with Rebecca
Rebecca Petit is dedicated to telling your stories from every corner of Polk County. She knows how growth has been a major discussion point for the area, and the impact it’s had on some of our most vulnerable populations. You can connect with Rebecca by using the form below.
.
10-year-old Pasco County boy suffers life-threatening injuries after accident
State troopers said a 10-year-old on a bicycle attempted to cross the highway when he was struck by two vehicles.
