HPD Chief: Retirement filings protecting futures of city officers, others

Huntsville Police Chief Mark Hudson says recent retirement filings, including his own, are merely insurance against an uncertain financial future. HNW file photo

Huntsville Police Chief Mark Hudson says his recent filing of retirement paperwork is not an indicator of his intent to leave the agency but merely a means to protect his future financial interest, one he and dozens of other city employees have spent decades earning.

Hudson and City Administrator Rex Reynolds, who each have 30 years with the city, were 2 of 73 city employees who have filed paperwork recently in response to anticipated changes in the state’s retirement system.

The current system, with its burden of funding current retirees, has been called “unsustainable” and changes by the state legislature are looming.

While Hudson declined to discuss his personal career plans he said many officers in the department are concerned any changes will affect their benefits or the timetable for collecting them.

“The vast majority of (officers) in this police department are doing it to protect an investment they have made over the course of their careers,” said Hudson.

Hudson said the filings function as a hedge against an employee’s benefit plan being adversely affected by actions on the state level.

“(I)f the legislature were to change their pension (plan or) what their benefits would be…then they may well retire,” Hudson said. “If there are no changes to what their pension (plan or benefits) would be (the officers) are telling me they are going to stay.”

Hudson said he did not know how many of the city employees filing paperwork were police officers.

He did say those who filled out the paperwork could opt out by the last day of February to avoid being retired then refile again for the next month.

Hudson said he knows of officers who have been doing this since last fall and economic news and events have been a factor in their actions.

Citizens should not be concerned, according to Hudson, about a wholesale departure of senior officers from the department should legislative action bring that to pass.

“It creates at least the possibility that we would have a large-scale retirement in short (order). So we have some contingency plans in place if that were to occur (to transition) to a position where we have enough strength and staff to provide adequate service.”

Hudson was adamant though. The community will remain protected regardless of how things develop.

“You don’t do what we do in the police department for 25 or more years without some very strong convictions about what you are doing and some very strong commitment to the people you are doing it for,” he said. “We are not going to put this police department, this government, or this community in a situation where (they) do not have adequate public safety. That’s not going to happen.”