Alternate Retirement Option (ARO)

Are you nearing retirement or have you just recently retired? Do you still have a passion for policing and serving the community? During the build phase of Surrey Police Service (SPS), we are providing a unique opportunity for eligible experienced officers to continue their policing careers, while starting their pension with the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP).

SPS’s Alternate Retirement Option (ARO) provides eligible officers with a rewarding way to continue their careers in policing, while allowing SPS to benefit from their significant policing experience and expertise.

How ARO works

ARO supports you in retiring at the end of one month and continuing your employment with SPS on your Pension Commencement Date (the first of the next month) with no change to your pay, benefits, seniority, leave entitlements, or tenure eligibility. Once you retire under ARO, you stop contributing to MPP and SPS pays you a premium on eligible hours worked equivalent to what SPS would have contributed to MPP on your behalf. Alternatively, if you recently retired from your previous agency and are collecting your pension with MPP, you may be eligible for the APO premium if you are hired at SPS as a sworn police officer.

Note: Experienced officers who are not members of MPP (out of province and RCMP officers) may or may not be eligible for ARO. Further information on eligibility for ARO is included in the FAQs below.

How you benefit from ARO

You will be continuing to contribute your policing skills by joining a community that welcomes your experience and commitment. SPS will provide you with a policing position as a regular sworn member, training, and other opportunities to support your well-being and success. Financially, you will benefit as you’ll start your MPP pension (or continue collecting your MPP pension) while receiving full pay and benefits from SPS, as well as the additional ARO premium.

How SPS and Surrey benefit from ARO

SPS is continuing to grow as we move towards becoming Surrey’s police of jurisdiction on November 29, 2024. As we staff up, it is important that we hire officers with a range of experience levels to support knowledge transfer and succession planning for decades to come. As a police officer with experience, you will use your expertise to serve Surrey residents while mentoring officers who are earlier in their careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there rules/restrictions for ARO?

Yes, to qualify for ARO you must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:

Join SPS before December 31, 2025
Be eligible for an unreduced MPP Group 5 Pension before March 31, 2029
Have a minimum of 15 years of contributory service to MPP Group 5 when you retire
Be an active SPS officer in good standing when you apply to and are accepted for ARO

How does receiving ARO impact my employment with SPS?

Your pay, benefits, date in policing, seniority, leave entitlements, and tenure eligibility do not change on ARO. However, once you retire under ARO, you stop contributing to MPP (employee contribution) and we do not contribute on your behalf (employer contribution), which means you stop accruing benefits in MPP. Instead, SPS will pay you a premium on eligible hours worked that is equivalent to SPS’s employer contribution to MPP on your behalf.

I don’t currently work for an MPP Group 5 Employer (I am with the RCMP or from out of province). Can I still qualify for ARO?

You may or may not qualify. ARO requires a minimum of 15 years of contributory pension service in MPP Group 5. Certain police agencies, including the RCMP, have a transfer agreement with MPP (view MPP’s pension transfer agreement list). If you transfer your pension to MPP Group 5 and meet the other qualifications, you may be eligible for ARO. Please contact MPP for information on transfers.

What is a Pension Commencement Date?

Your Pension Commencement Date is a day that you select to start receiving your pension. You select this date when you submit your pension application to MPP. It is important that you select the first day of the month after your retirement as your Pension Commencement Date.

Note: This is not applicable if you have already retired from your previous police agency and are already collecting your MPP pension.

How do I know if I meet ARO’s eligibility requirements relating to MPP?

Your MPP pension status is available on MPP’s My Account site www.mpp.pensionsbc.ca. SPS takes no responsibility for your MPP Group 5 eligibility or any impact ARO may have on your pension plan eligibility or amount. Your best source of pension information is MPP.

Is MPP aware of ARO?

Yes. MPP has been provided with information on ARO.

What are the other benefits of joining SPS as an experienced officer?

From state-of-the-art training, to one of the top policing salaries in Canda, to a modern shift schedule, SPS is working hard to redefine policing for its officers. Learn more at www.surreypolice.ca/experienced-officers.