Minneapolis officers filing for disability at ‘unprecedented’ levels, attorney says
The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police officers rattled by the unprecedented public unrest after the killing of George Floyd have filed for mental and physical disability claims at worrying levels, according to an attorney handling their cases.
Ron Meuser Jr., who held a news conference across the street from Minneapolis City Hall on Friday afternoon, said some 150 Minneapolis police officers out of a sworn force of 850 have contacted him to start filing disability paperwork, a majority for symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Seventy-five of those officers have already left the force, and he expects many more to follow, he said.
“While law enforcement is a high-stress career, the last two months in Minneapolis have pushed many officers to their breaking point,” Mr. Meuser said.
At least 13 officers were inside the 3rd Precinct building when it was ordered abandoned by city officials, Mr. Meuser said. He said some of them wrote final notes and texts to loved ones, while others said they would reserve their last bullet for themselves to avoid being beaten to death.
His numbers haven’t been confirmed by city officials; when asked about lower numbers being reported, Mr. Meuser said there may be bureaucratic reasons or paperwork delays with disability claims filed at the Public Employees Retirement Association.
A city spokeswoman said the city has received 17 PTSD workers’ compensation claims from officers over the past 30 days. Spokeswoman Sarah McKenzie said the officers don’t have to tell the city when they submit an application for disability benefits through PERA.
A Minneapolis police spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Minneapolis police officer’s union declined to comment.
The state’s workers’ compensation statute was amended in 2013 to recognize PTSD as legitimate grounds for claiming benefits. The move made Minnesota one of a handful of states to include PTSD in the list of injuries that could result in a successful workers’ compensation claim. And a modification to the law last year created a statutory presumption whereby if a police officer develops PTSD, it’s presumed to have developed because of their work.
To qualify for benefits due to PTSD, an officer must provide two medical reports attesting to their condition, one of which must come from a licensed medical doctor, said Doug Anderson at PERA. The benefit continues until they are no longer considered disabled or until they reach retirement age. An officer who goes on disability for PTSD would get at least 60% of their salary, he said.