When can I retire and how much
money will I get?

This question is not as easy as it sounds. We have several different retirement systems in our state and many different options on when you can retire. My best answer to all of you is to contact your respective retirement systems and set up an appointment with someone or email the different retirement systems. Each system will be more than happy to return your emails or to sit down with you and go over your exact options. I have listed below phone numbers of the different systems and contact persons.

APEARS 
Gail Stone- Director
501-682-7800 or 1-800-682-7377
www.apers.org

LOPFI and PRB
David Clark- Director
501-682-1745 or 1-866-859-1745
www.lopfi-prb.com

What type of insurance coverage
does the FOP provide?

The local lodge should be encouraging all members to join the FOP Legal Defense plan. The coverage is explained on the national website at www.FOP.net. Go the benefits link and then legal defense. Although this insurance has a cost, it protects officers without a limitation on benifits and has several different types of coverage depending on each officer's needs.

As for on the state level, wether or not your local lodge can assist you, you can submit a legal aide request to the state. We have a legal aide committee that can grant up to $2,500.00 immediately, without board approval to assist officers when they need legal assistance, provided you meet the criteria set forth by the membership.

The state now has an Immediate Assistance Program. When a member is involved in a deadly force situation and needs an attorney immediately, the State FOP will pay for the initial attorney's fee. There is a $500.00 limit on this, but every attorney we have worked with has agreed to this fee.

What has the FOP done for me lately? 

I believe that if someone ask that question, they should first ask what they have done for the FOP lately. It is their organization and "They" can only make it better. I'm glad to know that there are always four to five members doing 90-95% of the work and another 5-10% doing all the complaining. But, if you want to know what were doing, here are a few things:

We have sent officers to the Nation's Capitol to meet with the Senators and Representatives that pass the laws for our government and express to them what is important to our organization.

We have a paid full-time lobbyist on the State Capitol grounds working to get laws passed to better our retirement systems and working conditions.

We have supplied scholarships to 40 members' children for over the past 3 years and have given over $115,000.00 to members' families to help them go to college.

We have have assisted FOP family members during times when their family members or co-workers have passed away. 

And thats just to list a few.