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All of the benefit information below has been complied by COPS, a support group for police survivors.
Rev.08/03
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
DEATH BENEFITS
To obtain certified copies of registered personal documents, contact the Department of Health,
P. O. Box 53551, Oklahoma City, OK 53551-73152, phone (405) 271-4040.
STATE DEATH BENEFITS
Title 85--Sections 131 through 177
$40,000 is paid from the State Group Insurance; $4,000 is paid from the pension plan;
$10,000 is paid to the widows and $2,500 to $5,000 is paid to the surviving dependent
children. For more information contact the Department of Public Safety, State
Insurance Fund, 4545 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 183, Oklahoma City, OK 73100.
STATE PENSION BENEFITS
For eligible members, the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System pays a death
benefit of $4,000. A monthly pension not to exceed the accrued retirement benefit or normal
disability benefit is paid to the spouse until the children reach the age of 18.
House Bill 1035 was signed into law on May 3, 1993. This new law allows surviving
spouses to remarry and keep their pension. Once a surviving spouse starts receiving
retirement benefits, that spouse will continue to receive the benefit until their death.
Upon the death of any member prior to retirement, a monthly pension shall be paid which
shall be in an amount as provided below:
1. If the member was not retired and death occurred as the direct
result of the performance of the member's duties as an officer, an
amount equal to the monthly payments which would have been
received by the member had the member been totally disabled.
The pension should be paid:
1. To the surviving spouse provided the surviving spouse was
married to the member continuously for the thirty-six months
immediately preceding the member's retirement date, provided
surviving spouse of a member who died while in, or as a
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consequence of, the performance of the member's duty for the
employer, shall not be subject to the thirty-six month marriage
requirement for survivor benefits. Upon remarriage of the
surviving spouse, benefits would not be changed.
2. If there is no eligible surviving spouse or upon the death of a
spouse , to the person having the care and custody of any
surviving child or children of said member for such time as such
child or children are under the age of eighteen (18) years; or
3. If there be no surviving spouse or children under the age of
eighteen (18), to the dependent parent or parents of said
member, for life.
In addition to the pension above provided for, if said member leaves a surviving spouse and
one or more children under the age of eighteen (18) years, One Hundred Dollars ($100) a
month shall be paid from said Fund for the support of each surviving child to the person
having the care and custody of such children during such time as said spouse remains alive
and until each child reaches the age of eighteen (18).
For additional information members may contact the Oklahoma Law Enforcement
Retirement System, P.O. Box 11415, Oklahoma City, OK 73136; (405) 425-2136.
EDUCATION BENEFITS
Children of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty may attend any Oklahoma
state college or university tuition free. The waiver of tuition is limited to a period of five
(5) years.
Contact the Oklahoma Law Enforcement System, P.O. 11415, Oklahoma City, OK
73136; (405) 425-2136.
POLICE CORPS SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS
The Police Corps is administered by the Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement
Education (OPCLEE), within the Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice, in
partnership with participating States that have submitted an approved State Plan. Information
can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/opclee.
The Police Corps awards scholarships and reimburses educational expenses to students who
agree to work in a State or local police force for at least four years. Students must pursue an
undergraduate or graduate degree in a course of study which, in the judgment of the State or
local police force to which the participant will be assigned, includes appropriate preparation
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for police service. Police Corps funds cover education expenses (including tuition, fees,
books, supplies, transportation, room and board, and miscellaneous expenses) up to $7,500
per academic year, with a limit on total payments to any student of $30,000.
Police Corps scholarship funds are also available to dependent children of law
enforcement officers killed in the line of duty if the death occurred within the state after
that state was approved to participate in the Police Corps program. In Oklahoma, the
death must have occurred since September 1998. These scholarships may be applied to
any course of study, without any service or repayment obligation.
Police Corps participants are selected on a competitive basis by each State under regulations
prescribed by OPCLEE.
For more information, contact: Ben Crockett at the Oklahoma Department of Public
Safety, phone 877-898-2212, fax 580-310-5787, email okpc@dps.state.ok.us, or visit
www.dps.state.ok.us/policecorps/.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Health plans vary. Check with your local department to determine benefit packages
available.
Check with the Department of Public Safety Insurance, P.O. Box 11415, Oklahoma City,
OK 73136; (405) 425-2136.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Workers' Compensation coverage is compulsory for employers in Oklahoma.
Benefit is 50% of employee's wage for spouse and 75% for spouse with child(ren) with a
maximum weekly benefit of $307. Spouse receives lump sum of $10,000 and $2,500 for
each child (not to exceed $5,000 for children).
Two-year lump sum payable to spouse upon remarriage and weekly benefits cease.
Children receive benefits until age 18 or beyond 18 if disabled, or until age 23 if full-time
students. Where there are no dependents, $5,000 will be paid to decedent's estate for burial
expenses.
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
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compensation. The determination as to whether the claim will be paid will be determined by
the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.
Contact the Workers' Compensation Court, 1915 North Stiles, Oklahoma City, OK
73105-4904, telephone (405) 557-7600.
PERSONAL LIFE POLICIES
Descent and Distribution: Intestate property descends and is distributed:
Prior to July 1, 1985
(A) To surviving spouse:
(1) with no issue, and if there be no father, mother, brother or
sister of deceased, or if there be no issue and property was
acquired during coverture by joint industry of husband and
wife, all;
(2) with one child or its issue, one-half;
(3) with more than one child or their issue, one-third;
(4) with no issue but if there be parents or brother or sister of
deceased, one-half;
(5) where deceased was married more than once, of property
not acquired during coverture, equal share only with each
of children or issue.
(B) Remainder, or all if there be no surviving spouse goes:
(1) to issue, equally if in same degree, otherwise by
representation, and if any surviving child dies as unmarried
minor, his share descends equally to surviving children of
same parent or their issue equally if in equal degree of
kinship with child, otherwise by representation;
(2) if no issue or parents, then to descendent's parents equally
or their survivor;
(3) if no such issue or parents, then to decedent's brothers and
sisters, then to next of kin in equal degree except those
claiming through nearest ancestor are preferred to those
claiming through ancestor more remote. If deceased minor
leaves no surviving spouse or issue, estate goes to parents
equally, or if separated, to that parent having care of the
deceased.
Beginning July 1, 1985:
(A) To surviving spouse
(1) with no issue, and if no parent or brother or sister, all;
(2) with no issue but parent or parents, brother or sister, all
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property acquired during coverture by joint industry and
equal part in remaining estate with living children and
lawful issue of deceased children, by representation.
(B) Remainder, or all if no surviving spouse goes:
(1) to issue, equally if in same degree, otherwise by
representation;
(2) if no issue, then to decedent's parents equally or their
survivor;
(3) if no issue or parent, then equally to issue of decedent's
parents by representation;
(4) if no issue, parent, nor issue of parents then half to paternal
grandparents or grandparent, or, if none survive, equally to
issue of any paternal grandparent by representation, and
other half in like manner to maternal grandparents or issue
of maternal grandparent, but if decedent survived by
grandparents or issue of grandparent on only one side then
entire estate to such survivors;
(5) if no issue, parent, issue of parents, grandparent, nor issue
of grandparent, to next of kin in equal degree.
(C) If no spouse, issue, parent, issue of parents, grandparent, issue of
grandparent, nor kindred, then estate escheats to state for support
of common schools.
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: Mrs. Catherine Simonds, President, OKCOPS, 624 N.
Peters Avenue, Norman, OK 73069, (405) 321-1775, email simonds@swbell.net.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
The Oklahoma State Lodge of the FOP will pay a death benefit of $1,000.
The Oklahoma State Troopers Association will pay a $4,000 benefit for burial expense to
dependent of its members.
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An Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial is located at The Department of Public Safety
State Headquarters, 3600 N. King Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73105.
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