Puerto Rico’s Senate approved Senate Bill 1595, authored by Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz, creating the "VALOR Program Act" (Veterans in Support of Public Order and Safeguarding). It would let municipalities appoint retired members of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PPR) as municipal police officers without losing their pensions. Filed at the request of the Mayors’ Federation, the measure requires the pensioner to have been retired at least one year, not to have retired for disability, and to pass physical, mental and aptitude evaluations.
The Police will issue the eligibility certification within a maximum of 60 days, and the municipality will pay the difference between the pension and the salary the officer earned at retirement. According to the Statement of Motives, the program would also let these officers complete Social Security credits their careers did not provide, so between 27 and 39 credits are required.
The service will not generate a new pension or additional retirement benefits, and compensation will come from municipal funds. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 1596, which bars the Puerto Rico Police from processing applications for entry or transfer from municipal officers who have not completed the minimum service term in their municipality, currently three years.
The Police must request a certification from the municipality of origin, and anyone who resigns before completing the term must wait three years to apply. If an officer is recruited in violation of this rule, the Police or the receiving municipality must pay the municipality of origin triple what it invested in the officer’s training.