Early retirement of five Riverhead Town cops approved

The Riverhead Town Board accepted the early retirement of five police officers at its meeting Tuesday night under a special program that officials say will save the town about $250,000.

The officers had filed for retirement under the program that ended last week. But because the town reserves the right to keep one or more of them on duty until their replacements are hired and trained, some of them might remain on the force until Dec. 31, 2013.

The board also held a public hearing on another early retirement proposal, this one for Civil Service Employees Association members who are at least 55 years old and who have at least 20 years of credited service in the New York State Employees Retirement System. There was no public comment on it.

Under the proposal, workers would have to notify the town by Nov. 30 of their intent to retire, and the town board would then decide whether it wants to go through with the program, based on the number of applicants who file.