No doubt; they had arrangements in their contracts for that. I live in a neighboring state with a huge number of cops who are paid more than $100K annually; a friend retired after working 25 years - at 46 years old.
I pay for cops, and I won’t get a posthumous raise to increase the death benefit to my family if I die at my desk.
That's between you and your employer.
If I was a employer and if my employee was assassinated for doing their job, I would certainly consider a promotion and all the benefits it might bring, posthumously.
If you ever get on S.S., when you die and have already received the check for the month you die, survivor has to pay it back to S.S.
I very seldom feel strongly enough about a post to overtly (but respectfully) disagree with anyone on FR, but please work the streets for 25 years (or even a couple of weeks) before bemoaning an officer's earned retirement or posthumous promotion. Your choice of professions dictates your benefits.
Perhaps we should have areas designated as “law enforcement free zones” where you would not have to “pay for cops”, then you're on your own. I doubt working at your desk puts you and your family at great risk for you being killed on any given day that you leave for work. That is, of course, with the exception of a 9-11 attack, and the sporadic, horrible workplace shootings that occur from time to time. I've been to too many LE funerals and lost too many caring, outstanding officers and friends. Schedule a ride-along with your local PD and think about the recent incidents when you roll up in response to a seemingly-routine call. And this doesn't even include the Ferguson-type situations that can ruin an officer's life in a few seconds while he or she is trying to stay alive and/or protect others.