Retire at 51 with full pay and benefits of life. Move to Utah and live like a king. All at the expense of CA taxpayers. Gotta love it. Please tell me he's not filing for disability as well so he can get all the money tax-free. That's a common trick among police and fire employees.

Regular pay: $215,028.97
Overtime pay: $0.00
Other pay: $8,099.08
Total pay: $223,128.05
Total benefits: $90,076.33
Total pay & benefits: $313,204.38

You obviously didn't read the story. He's been flying every week to Utah to take care of his mother. It must be really bad if he's seeing that doing that is no longer enough. Read before you judge.

Observer: I think he's earned every penny. And his devotion to his mom is something you can only hope to match. And probably won't. So please STHU.

Observer:

Since you clearly know all about the retirement system, why don't you check the facts about retiring from PERS after 5 years and find out what this "full retirement" actually will be worth? You'll be surprised that 5 years is not the full ride you may think.

While I thank the Chief for his service and wish him well in his retirement, I agree that Observer has a legitimate concern. It is a fact that many if not most MV police and fire personnel retire at around age 50 with very generous pension packages. Perhaps the Voice, which is presumably not beholden to the police or fire unions, could do a story about this (city government pensions in general, not any one employee in particular) so that the tax-payers can have a better understanding of this use of city funds.

Observer,
How can you say that a person who has been risking his life to save people for 29 years is trying to abuse the system. You have no idea the challanges a Chief faces. My father was a Chief, took an early retirement for many reasons. Do presidents get criticised for retiring after 4 years? I think what he is doing for his mother is comendible and deserves respect from people not criticism.