§ 2-207. Prior police service.

Unless otherwise prohibited by law, and except as provided for in Section 2-181, the years or fractional parts of years that a member previously served as a police officer with the city during a period of previous employment and for which period accumulated contributions were withdrawn from the fund, or the years and fractional parts of years that a member served as a police officer for any other municipal, county or state law enforcement department in the State of Florida shall be added to his years of credited service provided that:

(1)

The police officer contributes to the fund the sum that he would have contributed, based on his salary and the member contribution rate in effect at the time that the credited service is requested, had he been a member of this system for the years or fractional parts of years for which he is requesting credit plus amounts actuarially determined such that the crediting of service does not result in any cost to the fund plus payment of costs for all professional services rendered to the board in connection with the purchase of years of credited service.

(2)

The request shall be made only once and made by the police officer on or before 12-months from the date of his employment or reemployment with the city police department.

(3)

Payment by the police officer of the required amount shall be made within six months of his request for credit and shall be made in one lump sum payment upon receipt of which credited service shall be given.

(4)

The maximum credit under this section, for service with an employer other than the city, when combined with credited service purchased pursuant to section 2-206, shall be five years of credited service and shall count for all purposes, except vesting and eligibility for not-in-line of duty disability benefits. There shall be no maximum credit under this section for service with the city and it shall count for all purposes including vesting.

(5)

In no event, however, may credited service be purchased pursuant to this section for prior service with any other municipal, county or state law enforcement department or special district fire department, if such prior service forms or will form the basis of a retirement benefit or pension from another retirement system or plan as set forth in section 2-195(h)(2).

(6)

For purposes of determining credit for prior service as a police officer as provided for in this section, in addition to service as a police officer in this State, credit may be given for federal, other state, county or municipal service if the prior service is recognized by the criminal justice standards and training commission within the department of law enforcement, as provided under Chapter 943, Florida Statutes, or the police officer provides proof to the board that such service is equivalent to the service required to meet the definition of a police officer under Section 1, definitions.

(Ord. No. 923, § 1, 9-5-2006; Ord. No. 954, § 6, 10-6-2009; Ord. No. 972, § 2, 4-3-2012)