OPEA

From left, OPEA Corrections Leaders Carrie Croy and Mike Rogers meet with OLERS Executive Director, Ginger Poplin and Board President, Roy Rogers.

OPEA correctional leaders and staff began the process of establishing a 20 year retirement for all correctional employees by meeting with leaders from the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System and the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System.

Leaders met with OLERS Executive Director, Ginger Poplin and Board President, Roy Rogers as well as Director Tom Spencer of the OPERS to discuss creating a 20 year retirement for all Department of Corrections employees.  Board member Mike Rogers and Carrie Croy and OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley, Policy Director Trish Frazier and Deputy Director Scott Barger attended the discussion on the systems.

OLERS/OPERS Meeting with Joe Fox and Tom Spencer

According to state law, a change to the state retirement system  would take two years to pass.  An actuarial study, conducted by the Legislative Services Bureau, would be conducted after the legislation was passed and referred to study in the first year.  After the study determined the cost of the change, legislation and funding could be passed in the following year to enact the program.

A law enforcement retirement for all DOC employees would require expansion in the program at OPERS.  Spencer told the group this has been considered in the past for other members of the OPERS system, such as EMT’s and district attorney investigators.

According to Spencer, adding all DOC staff to the current OPERS hazardous duty plan would require more funding.  The cost would depend upon the richness of the plan.

OLERS concerns surrounded the addition of nearly 4,500 employees into a system that currently has only a half-dozen employees as well as whether or not the non-uniformed staff would meet the definition of a law enforcement officer prescribed in state law as well as the federal definition.

“This is an issue that our correctional employees want fixed,” said Zearley.  “OPEA is leading the effort to find a solution to this very complex issue and reward all the employees who work in a hazardous environment everyday.”

“The job of a corrections worker has never been more stressful or more dangerous,” said Zearley.  “Assaults are up, caseloads for probation and parole officers are outrageous and Pardon and Parole has been left completely out of the discussions.  You have employees working side-by-side with offenders, one with a 20 year and one without.  This disparity cannot be allowed to continue and our efforts will go towards a solution.”

OPEA has secured Senator Kenneth Corn to author the 20 year retirement legislation.