§ 54-212. Prior police and fire service.

Unless otherwise prohibited by law, and except as provided for in subsection (1) below, the years or fractional parts of years that a firefighter or police officer previously served as a firefighter or police officer with the city during a period of previous employment and for which period accumulated contributions were withdrawn from the fund, or the years and fractional parts of years that a member served as a police officer for any other municipal, county or state law enforcement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 or as a firefighter for any other municipal, county or special district fire department in the State of Florida shall be added to his years of credited service provided that:

(1)

The member 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)

Multiple requests to purchase credited service pursuant to this section may be made at any time prior to retirement.

(3)

Payment by the member of the required amount shall be made within six months of his request for credit, but not later than the retirement date, 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 other than with the city 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.

(5)

There shall be no maximum purchase of service for service as a firefighter or police officer with the city, and such purchase of credited service shall count for all purposes, including vesting. The maximum credit under this section for service other than with the city 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.

(6)

In no event, however, may credited service be purchased pursuant to this section for prior service as a police officer for any other municipal, county or state law enforcement department or as a firefighter for any other municipal, county, state or special district fire department in the State of Florida, if such prior service forms or will form the basis of a retirement benefit or pension from a different employer's retirement system or plan as set forth in subsection 54-200(k)(2).

(Ord. No. 00-22, § 1, 2-24-00; Ord. No. 02-43, § 7, 9-26-02; Ord. No. 16-60, § 10, 11-10-16)