What did it mean last Friday morning at Curt Massey’s funeral when Police Chief Don Pedersen announced that the longtime sergeant had been promoted to lieutenant?
[img]316|left|Lt. Curt Massey||no_popup[/img] Was it merely a tip of the hat ?
An honorary gesture or more?
Succinctly presented, quite without fanfare, the news was inserted near the end of the 1 hour and 45-minute service.
The Police Chief displayed a proper sense of taste and timing.
In one sentence, he explained why his officer deserved the honor. In a second sentence, he said, in spare, undecorated language, that the officer’s widow and mother had pinned the badge to his shirt earlier in the week.
Just the right amount of gloss.
Mr. Pedersen’s declaration was received with a slight burst of surprise by the crowd of about 1300 persons.
It turns out that there are no economic consequences from Lt. Massey’s new rank, even though it was reasoned he surely would have received it.
Despite the promotion, no extra benefits will accrue to Lt. Massey’s widow, Melody, and their three children, who were clutching teddy bears during the funeral Mass at Our Lady of Angels Cathedral.
According to Lt. Dean Williams, the choice to promote was Mr. Pedersen’s alone.
Lt. Massey’s family will be unable to derive financial benefits because of a prior agreement negotiated with the state’s pension body, PERS, the Public Employee Retirement System.
Rather than being linked to a promotion, the compact calls for retirement benefits to be based on the single highest year of salary.
