Southington Rep. Seeks Pension Reform For Families Of Fallen Cops

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A Southington state representative is urging colleagues in Hartford to support reforms that will increase access to pension benefits for the families of officers who die in the line of duty.

State Rep. Christopher Poulos, D-Southington, is seeking a special legislative vote this year or during the next session in 2025 to reform police pension regulations to grant family access to officers' benefits should they die in the line of duty.

Poulos is making his pitch following last month's line-of-duty death of Southington native/resident Aaron Pelletier, 34, a state trooper who was struck and killed by a vehicle on Interstate 84 in Southington on May 30.

The driver, who was determined by police to be illegally impaired, was charged in connection with the incident, which rocked the Southington and law enforcement communities.

Tuesday, Poulos said it was time to change the law so Pelletier's family and others impacted by fallen police officers, can obtain pension benefits.

"This legislation needs to retroactively recognize the risk that police officers, like Trooper Pelletier, take every day to protect the citizens of Connecticut," said Poulos, adding he was contacted by state and municipal police officers seeking reform. "We must ensure that we do not run into this situation again."

Poulos said Pelletier was vested for 11 years of service with the State of Connecticut, nine with Connecticut State Police, and two with the state Department of Correction.

He said current laws prevent his widow and children from collecting benefits.

Poulos said legislatively approved pension reforms in 2017 modified retirement benchmarks for law enforcers, but nothing was changed for the families of those killed in the line of duty.

Such a notion, according to Poulos, also has bipartisan support, with Poulos stating there is support from state Sen. Stephen Harding, R-Brookfield, and state Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-Brookfield, both GOP leaders in their respective branches.

"Police officers often prevent the unthinkable from happening to us, so we need to act equally, proactively, and retroactively, to ensure the families of law enforcement officers who protect our communities are fully supported,” said Poulos.

“I join minority leaders Harding and Candelora in full support of changing the statute to maximize the pension benefit to families like Trooper Pelletier's, ensuring that they are taken care of when tragedy strikes.”

Poulos said during the past legislative session, lawmakers passed legislation, co-sponsored by Poulos, to create the "Fallen Officer Fund."

This would grant the families of fallen officers a single, $100,000 payment from the state for surviving family members/beneficiaries.

This, Poulos said, was created following the murder of two Bristol police officers responding to a domestic call in 2022 and the 2023 death of a Hartford police officer in a traffic accident while on duty.

From June 5: 'Fallen Trooper Laid To Rest Amid Outpouring Of Emotion'