[Added 7-13-2004 by Ord. No. 1133; Amended 5-11-2010 by Ord. No. 10-1231]
A. Effective April 17, 2002, if a member is killed in the line of duty for the Township, and he or she dies survived by a spouse or dependent child or children, then a monthly pension benefit of 100% of the member’s monthly salary at the time of his or her death shall be paid to the surviving spouse until the surviving spouse dies. If there is no surviving spouse or if the surviving spouse subsequently dies, then the child or children of the Member shall be entitled to receive a monthly survivor’s benefit equal to 100% of the member’s monthly salary at the time of his or her death. Such survivor’s benefit to the child or children shall continue until the child or children reach the age of 18, or until age 23, if the child is “attending college.” At the time at which any surviving spouse has died and any dependent children have reached age 18, or age 23, if the child is attending college, the benefit created under this section shall terminate. No other pension benefit shall be paid by the Township to the surviving spouse or dependent child(ren) of an officer who is killed in the line of duty.
B. For purposes of this section, the phrase “attending college” shall mean being enrolled in an institution of higher learning and carrying a minimum course load of seven credits per semester.
C. Effective January 1, 2010, the surviving family of an officer who is killed in the line of duty shall receive the benefits provided for and subject to the terms of Act 51 of 2009, which benefits are paid exclusively by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With the exception of any pension benefit to which the officer was entitled prior to the officer’s death, solely by virtue of the officer’s age and service as a Township police officer, and any other non- pension, contractual benefits to which the officer and/or the officer’s family may have been entitled prior to the officer’s death, the Township shall not be obligated to pay any benefit to the family of an officer as the result of the officer’s death, including, but not limited to, the killed in service pension benefit which previously existed under Act 600 prior to the passage of Act 51 of 2009.