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Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin could receive more than $1 million in pension benefits during his retirement years even if he is convicted of killing George Floyd.
Chauvin has been the subject of national fury since last month, when footage emerged of him kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd begged him to stop. He was quickly fired from the department where he had worked since 2001, and amid national protests, was eventually charged with second-degree murder. Three other officers involved with the incident were also fired and face felony charges.
While a number of factors are used to calculate pension benefits, Chauvin would likely be eligible for annual payments in the ballpark of $50,000 a year or more if he chose to start receiving them at age 55, according to a CNN analysis based on Chauvin’s tenure, 2019 payroll data, contract details, pension plan guidance and Minneapolis Police Department salary schedules. The benefits could stretch to $1.5 million or more over a 30-year period, not including any cost of living increases. Chauvin’s annual payments could be even higher if he received significant amounts of overtime in prior years.
Two of the other officers charged in the death of Floyd were rookies, but a third also appears eligible to receive pension benefits from his time with the department, according to employment records released by the city. The Minneapolis Mayor’s Office, Police Department and the local police union did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment.
Public pensions are paid for through a combination of contributions from taxpayer-funded local governments and workers themselves, as well as investment returns. Public safety pensions are typically some of the most generous and have caused local and state budgets to balloon around the country.
