Rank and file police officer, like enlisted military, is a physically demanding position that normally cannot be done by older men.
Therefore, after 20, 25, or 30 years you can retire.
Are you going to bitch about all of our brave military who enlisted at 18, served our country for 30 years, and retire at 48?
I can see going on to less demanding jobs, in another field if necessary, but for taxpayers to pay full pensions and health benefits for up to 50 years for men who worked only 20+ years is insane and unsustainable. They should be partial pensions that kick in at social security age, not before.
There are many physically demanding jobs that can’t be done so easily once you get older. Why do you think they are entitled to salaries for life? If they can’t do the job they signed on for then they need to find another one and stop expecting the taxpayers to fund their cushy lifestyles. That includes cops, military and everyone else.
Delivering mail is more physically demanding than an armed government hireling robbing highway travelers for a living, and mailmen don't get to shoot the dogs.
Rank and file police officer, like enlisted military, is a physically demanding position that normally cannot be done by older men.
“Are you going to bitch about all of our brave military who enlisted at 18, served our country for 30 years, and retire at 48?”
If they can’t serve in a useful capacity at 30 get them out; if they can serve in a capacity at 48 they can do the same at 58 (Chairborne and such). Police work should be like the military; do a four year stint, earn some money and some type of GI bill, then move along. Here in NJ because of budget cuts a lot of our youngest cops were laid off; we are left with middle-aged cops (who cost a LOT of money), and the criminal element knows it.
There is always room in any field for older people, but nobody should be in a job automatically because they were 10 years earlier.