Good Question Follow: Former RPD Chief Singletary’s pension finalized

Andrew Hyman
File image of former Rochester Police Chief La'Ron Singletary[News10NBC]

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC)— News10NBC is following up one of your Good Questions around former Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary, specifically, if he kept his pension.

The New York Comptroller’s Office Wednesday confirmed to News10NBC’S Brennan Somers a review of Singletary’s pension was completed, and he will receive $5,972.63 (gross monthly pension benefit) regardless of his 2020 firing in the wake of the death of Daniel Prude.

However, there are some rules if he takes up another job depending on what it is and where. It was previously announced Singletary is among the dozens of candidates to become Austin, Texas’s next police chief.

If Chief Singletary were to attain other employment after retirement, his earnings may be limited if he returns to work. The New York State Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL) regulates post-retirement employment and the rules and restrictions differ depending on:

  • The type of retirement benefit a person is receiving (service or disability)
  • The employer a person will be working for (private, public, self-employed, etc.)
  • The person’s date of membership and tier; and
  • The person’s age.

Additional information regarding post-retirement employment can be found here.

Singletary keeps his pension, regardless of his firing, because he served just over 20 years and meets the requirements. Singletary is a Tier 2 member of the retirement system. He gets 50% of the average of his highest three straight years of earnings. That’s the final average salary (FAS).

Singletary filed a lawsuit against the City of Rochester in December, claiming Warren asked him to lie about Prude’s death. City officials called the lawsuit "frivolous."

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