40:11-22 - Pensions on death of policemen or firemen killed in line of duty; amounts
40:11-22. Pensions on death of policemen or firemen killed in line of duty; amounts
The governing body of any municipality, by ordinance, or the board of chosen freeholders of any county, by resolution, may provide in specific cases for the payment of an annual pension on the death of a uniformed member of the municipal fire, police or park police department or county police or park police department killed in the performance of duty as a member of any such fire or police department, whether death be instantaneous or ensue from fatal injury. The aggregate amount paid pursuant to this act in any year as to any such deceased member shall not exceed the difference between (a) the amount of the annual salary of the deceased member at the time of his death or $4,000.00, whichever is lower, and (b) the sum of the aggregate benefits paid in the same year by way of death benefit, social security or survivors' benefits, workmen's compensation award or pension benefit, payable under the authority of any other law of this State or of the United States. In determining whether or not to provide for a pension pursuant to this act, and in fixing the amount thereof, such governing body or board of chosen freeholders shall take into account the actual dependency of the beneficiaries, their needs and means, and the pecuniary loss occasioned by reason of such death. The amount so fixed in each case shall be subject to review at any time by such governing body or board of chosen freeholders in the light of the then existing facts, for the purpose of altering or terminating the same.
L.1958, c. 151, p. 665, s. 1, eff. Dec. 17, 1958.