Jersey Journal
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The widow of slain Jersey City Police Detective Marc DiNardo has finally received a pension and life insurance check - 21/2 months after her husband died from wounds he suffered in a shootout with robbery suspects in July.
The furor that exploded over the time lag has prompted the state Treasury Department to rethink its pension policy for cops and firefighters killed in the line of duty.
The Police and Fire Retirement System, which has to approve all pensions for cops and firefighters and their survivors before the first pension check is mailed, will be voting at its Oct. 15 meeting to approve a new policy to fast-track payments for widows whose spouses die in the line of duty, officials said.
Under the new procedures, the Treasury Department will cut its first check as soon as it receives a pension application from the widow.
The board would then approve the pension claim “after the fact,” once documents such as police reports and a death certificate have been collected, said Treasury spokesman Tom Vincz.
“Historically, there have been no issues coming to the board regarding the timing of these payments . . . but we want to make sure there is no hardship in processing these claims for the beneficiaries,” Vincz said.
Mary DiNardo, 36, the widowed mother of three young children, received her pension and insurance checks Tuesday.
“The fact that they will implement some changes is good news for someone in the future,” DiNardo said yesterday.
The state pension board missed voting on DiNardo’s pension at its meeting on Aug. 3 because it was still gathering paperwork, bumping the approval to its Sept. 21 agenda.
Assemblywoman Joan Quigley, D-Jersey City, said she plans to introduce legislation in the next session that starts next month.
Copyright 2009 Jersey Journal