A proposed contract to keep Chattanooga police Chief Freeman Cooper on the job after he retires has some union leaders worried about changes to the police and firefighter pension plan.
“While most would agree that Chief Cooper is a fine chief, anytime rules are changed mid-game, it raises an eyebrow,” said Sgt. Craig Joel, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Mayor Ron Littlefield has proposed that Chief Cooper be signed to a three-year contract at his current salary of $116,822 a year, plus allow the chief to draw a pension of almost $80,000 a year and also take a retirement bonus, called the Deferred Retirement Option Plan, in a lump sum payment of about $240,000.
Mr. Littlefield said keeping Chief Cooper in place would help ease consolidation of city and county services. During consolidation, other changes to the police and fire pension plans can be discussed, including the DROP plan, the mayor said.
“Perhaps when talking about merging departments all that can be put on the table and worked out,” he said.