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All of the benefit information below has been complied by COPS, a support group for police survivors.
Rev.04/05
STATE OF MAINE
DEATH BENEFITS
To obtain certified copies of registered personal documents, contact the Department of
Human Services, Office of Vital Records, 221 State Street, Station #11, Augusta, ME
04333-0011, phone (207) 289-3184.
STATE BENEFITS
No state level benefits are available other than what social security or workers'
compensation would pay.
STATE PENSION BENEFITS
Members of the Maine State Retirement System may obtain details concerning individual
pension benefits by writing or calling Nancy Ames of the Maine State Retirement System,
State House Station #46, Augusta, ME 04333; (207) 287-3408 or fax information to (207)
287- 1032.
Pension for Dependents of Sheriffs and Deputies
If a sheriff or deputy dies as a result of injury received in the line of duty, the spouse or, if
none, the minor child or children, of the sheriff or deputy shall receive a pension equal to ½ of
the pay of the sheriff or deputy at the time of death, but in no case may the pension be less
than $1,000 annually. This pension shall be paid to the spouse until the spouse dies or
remarries and to a child or children until they die or reach the age of 18 years.
The county commissioners of each county shall pay these pensions from county funds.
EDUCATION BENEFITS
Tuition is paid, up to 5 years per child, in any (in-state) University system school. For
more information contact the Finance of Authority of Maine, Mia Purcell, Director Maine
Educational Assistance Program, State House Station #94, Augusta, ME 04333; (207)
287-2183.
ME
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Rev.04/05
HEALTH BENEFITS
Varied. Check with police department benefits. The State Bureau of Health administers any
available state health benefits. Contact Jo Gill, Executive Director, State Office Building,
Augusta, Maine, 04333; (207) 624-6780 or fax (207) 624-6796. Health benefits are offered
to the surviving spouse and dependent children, but the survivors would pay the premiums.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Workers' Compensation coverage is compulsory for employers in Maine; however, waivers
are allowed.
Benefit is 80% of worker's after-tax earning for a spouse or a spouse with child(ren) with a
maximum weekly benefit of $441 for a maximum period of 500 weeks. Benefits are
subject to UI benefit offsets, excluding lump sum settlements. Children receive benefits
beyond age 18 if physically or mentally disabled. There is also a maximum burial
allowance of $4,000. An additional $3,000 will be paid to the employee's estate as incidental
compensation.
To receive workers' compensation benefits the surviving spouse must take the initiative and
file a workers' compensation claim through a workers' compensation attorney to receive any
compensation. The determination as to whether the claim will be paid will be determined by
the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.
Contact the Workers' Compensation Board, Deering Building, Station 27, Augusta, ME
04333, telephone (207) 289-3751.
PERSONAL LIFE POLICY - INTESTATE
Descent and Distribution - Part of intestate estate not passing to surviving spouse or entire
estate if there is no surviving spouse, passes as follows: (1) To issue of decedent, to be
distributed per capita at each generation; (2) if no surviving issue, to decedent's parent or
parents equally; (3) if no surviving issue or parent, to issue of parents or either of them to be
distributed per capita at each generation; (4) if no surviving issue, parent or issue of parent,
but decedent is survived by one or more grandparents of issue of grandparents, half of estate
passes to paternal grandparents if both survive, or surviving paternal grandparent, or to issue
of paternal grandparents if both are deceased to be distributed per capita at each generation;
other half passes to maternal relatives in same manner; but if there be no surviving
grandparent or issue of grandparents on either paternal or maternal side, entire estate passes to
relatives on other side in same manner as half; (5) if no surviving issue, parent or issue of
parent, grandparent or issue of grandparent, but decedent is survived by one or more greatgrandparents
or issue of great- grandparents, half of estate passes to paternal greatME
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Rev.04/05
grandparents who survive, or to issue of paternal great-grandparents if all are deceased, to be
distributed per capita at each generation; other half passes to maternal relatives in same
manner; but if no surviving great-grandparent or issue of great-grandparent on either paternal
or maternal side, entire estate passes to relatives on other side in same manner as half.
Surviving spouse takes as follows: (1) If no surviving issue or parent of decedent, entire
intestate estate; (2) if no surviving issue but decedent is survived by parent or parents, first
$50,000 plus 1/2 of balance of intestate estate; (3) if there are surviving issue all of whom are
issue of surviving spouse also, first $50,000 plus 1/2 of balance of intestate estate; (4) if there
are surviving issue one or more of whom are not issue of surviving spouse, 1/2 of intestate
estate.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
The Maine Chief's of Police Association established in 1990 the Law Enforcement Memorial
Committee. A fund has been established for a one time payment of $3,000 to a family struck
by the death in the line of duty of a law enforcement officer. Contact: Maine Chief's of
Police Association, 93 Silver Street, Waterville, Maine, 04901, (207) 873-0455.
STATE MEMORIAL
A state police memorial is located on the Capitol grounds in Augusta, Maine.
PEER-SUPPORT ORGANIZATION
Established in 1984, Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. (COPS), is a national, non-profit
organization that works with law enforcement agencies, police organizations, mental health
professional, and local peer-support organizations to provide assistance to surviving families
of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. COPS has become a "lifeline" to police
survivors nationwide. Contact: Maine COPS, Mr. Howard Cooke, President, 97 Route
106, Leeds, ME 04263-3824, telephone (207)933-4972, email: cooke@ctel.net.
All of the benefit information above has been complied by COPS, a support group for police survivors.
Contact the National Office of Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. for additional information, or to support any of COPS' programs.
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Web site copyrighted © 2005 by Lydia Warner Miller