Skip to main content
Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

Police officers stand up and applaud Hamilton County’s new early retirement plan

The Hamilton County Commission is pictured at one of its regular public meetings, but that's not where a proposal on a cigarette tax was discussed by commissioners.
The Hamilton County Commission is pictured at one of its regular public meetings, but that's not where a proposal on a cigarette tax was discussed by commissioners. The Hamilton County Commission is pictured at one of its regular public meetings, but that's not where a proposal on a cigarette tax was discussed by commissioners.

By Judy Walton 3 min read

Passage of an early retirement plan for Hamilton County sheriff’s officers got a standing ovation for county commissioners on Wednesday.

Now comes figuring out how to pay for it.

Commissioners voted 8-3 to adopt the so-called “bridge plan,” which allows officers to retire at age 55 with a significant compensation bump that lasts until they turn 62 and can begin collecting Social Security.

The idea is to move aging officers out of a physically demanding job to make room for younger ones, said Sheriff Jim Hammond, standing amid a sea of uniformed deputies in the commission chambers.

Hammond said policing is a young person’s profession, requiring strength, agility and fast reflexes. The bridge plan “allows the men and women of law enforcement who are certified to retire with dignity,” he said.