(a) Death of Participant. Upon the occurrence of the death of a participant, benefits shall be payable in accordance with this section.
(b) Survivor Benefits. If a participant dies after commencement of benefit payments hereunder or after the participant is eligible to retire under Section 294.04(a) and before retirement benefit payments commence, the surviving spouse of a member of the police force or a member who retires on pension who dies or if so spouse survives or if he or she survives and subsequently dies, then the child or children under the age of 18 years or, if attending college, under or attaining the age of 23 years, of a member of the police force or a member who retires on pension who dies shall, during his or her lifetime in the case of a surviving spouse or until reaching the age of 18 years of, if attending college, under or attaining the age of 23 years in the case of a child or children, be entitled to receive a pension calculated at no less than fifty percent of the pension the member was receiving or would have been receiving had he or she been retired at the time of his or her death.
(c) Death of Participant Prior to Retirement. The surviving spouse of a member of the police force who dies before his or her pension has vested, or if no spouse survives, or if he or she survives and subsequently dies, the child or children under the age of 18 years or, if attending college, under or attaining the age of 23 years, of the member of the police force shall be entitled to receive repayment of all money which the member invested in the pension fund plus interest or other increases in value of the member's investment in the pension fund unless the member has designated another beneficiary for this purpose.
(d) For purposes of this section, the phrase "attending college" shall mean the eligible children are registered at an accredited institution of higher learning and are carrying a minimum course load of seven credit hours per semester and the term "regional police department" shall mean a municipal police force organized and operated in combination by two or more municipalities through an intermunicipal agreement pursuant to 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 23 Subch. A (relating to intergovernmental cooperation).
(Ord. 2137. Passed 3-15-93; Ord. 2312. Passed 12-16-02; Ord. 2493. Passed 7-15-13.)