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All of the benefit information below has been complied by COPS, a support group for police survivors.
Rev.12/02
COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO
DEATH BENEFITS
To obtain certified copies of registered personal documents, contact the Department of Health,
P. O. Box 9342, San Juan, PR 00908, phone (809) 728-7980.
STATE DEATH BENEFITS
A $3,000 Funeral and Burial Benefit is paid by the Asociacion de Miembros de la Policia de
Puerto Rico.
A $1,500 benefit will be paid by La Asociacion de Empleados del E.L.A.
STATE PENSION BENEFITS
Pension benefits differ between departments. The beneficiary would be the legitimate spouse
at the moment of death.
EDUCATION BENEFITS
Children of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty are eligible to receive some
educational benefits.
Elementary Level
They receive the amount of $125 per school year.
Intermediary Level
They receive the amount of $255 per school year.
High School Level
They receive the amount of $272 per school year.
University Level
They receive the amount of $571 per school year.
PR
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Rev.12/02
HEALTH BENEFITS
The wife and children of police officer who have been killed in the line of duty will receive
medical attention at the Municipal Hospital free of charge.
The police officers have a health insurance policy available to them, but they must pay for the
premiums.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Workers' Compensation coverage is compulsory for employers in Puerto Rico.
Benefit is 50% of the employee's wage for a spouse or 85% of the employee's wage for a
spouse with child(ren), with a minimum weekly benefit of $75 and a maximum weekly
benefit of $160 (benefits are paid monthly, however, not weekly). As an advance, widows
receive a sum of $500. Spouse benefits cease upon remarriage.
Children receive benefits until age 18 or beyond age 18 if disabled, or until age 25 if fulltime
students.
The maximum burial allowance is $1,000.
To apply for your benefits contact the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Police Department, P.O. Box 70166, San Juan, PR 00936- 8166, (809) 793-1234.
PERSONAL LIFE POLICIES
Descent and Distribution: Order of succession. - In default of testamentary provisions the
estate passes to the following in the order named: (1) direct descendants; (2) ascendant; (3)
brothers and sisters or their children; (4) surviving spouse; (5) collaterals up to 6th degree; (6)
University of Puerto Rico.
Surviving spouse is forced heir with regard to life usufruct assigned by law. Right to inherit
barred by abandonment of children, prostitution of daughters, conviction for attempting
against life of deceased, failure to report latter's death, etc.
PR
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Rev.12/02
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: Puerto Rico COPS, Teresa Miyares, Contact, 260 W. 57th
Street, Hialeah, FL 33012, (305)558-1233, tmiyares@hotmail.com.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
Additional agencies providing benefits include Sistema de Retiro, and the Asociacion de
Empleados del E.L.A. (commonwealth of Puerto Rico).
An I.D. card is available to the families of police officers killed in the line of duty so they can
buy items at the military stores.
To apply for your benefits contact the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Police Department, P.O. Box 70166, San Juan, PR 00936- 8166, (809) 793-1234.
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