Engaging with Municipalities Statewide

With the goal of ensuring everyone is well-informed about the benefits and requirements of our retirement system, MPERS is excited to announce our ongoing efforts to engage with municipalities across the state, providing comprehensive training and assistance to police employers and employees.

Since 2018, staff have attended multiple LMA and Clerks’ conferences each year, even presenting at some. Staff have also attended the Louisiana Chiefs of Police conferences, Louisiana Association of Secretaries to Chiefs of Police conferences, and Magnolia State Peace Officers Association conferences, to help educate both members and employers. We have attended benefits fairs in Thibodaux, Natchitoches, Kenner, Bossier City, and are happy to attend others when called upon. MPERS also collaborated with CPERS to host training and education sessions for Baton Rouge police officers due to the complications of their merger in 2000. Some of the other municipalities the MPERS staff has traveled to or provided training to are:

Help us help you!

In June of 2024, MPERS staff hosted employer training both in-person and virtually from our office in Baton Rouge. We were pleased that 35 different municipalities attended this well-informed training. In addition to scheduled training, occasionally, members make appointments or just “drop in.” Our staff always assisted those members. We encourage one on one counseling if needed. MPERS understands that retirement may be confusing to some, and our staff is willing and able to assist our over 11,000 members.

MPERS is committed to supporting our members and their employers by providing the resources and knowledge needed to make informed decisions about retirement. We believe that through education and engagement, we can help secure a better future for our police employees. Please reach out when you have questions about:



• Active Membership: Understanding the criteria and benefits of being an active member of MPERS
• Retirement Benefits: Detailed information on the retirement benefits available to our members, including how to maximize these benefits
• Contribution and Reporting Requirements: Guidance on the necessary contributions and reporting procedures to ensure compliance with our system
• Laws Governing Our Plan: An overview of the legal framework that governs MPERS, helping members and employers navigate the complexities of retirement planning

Ensuring Continuous Compliance: Employer Certifications

Over the past several months, MPERS has sent 87 “Employer Certification” letters to municipalities across the state. These municipalities were believed to have no current or former MPERS eligible employees based on records provided to us via public records requests and the results of researching financial audits. Employers were asked to certify that they had no eligible police employees and agree to abide by the laws applicable to the enrollment of future eligible employees.

MPERS received 57 certifications back from employers and is still working to confirm with the remaining 30. We are also working on implementing mandatory monthly re-certifications in the PATROLE system for these “certified” employers so that in the event an employee does become eligible within their department, they can easily begin reporting in a timely manner and avoid any penalties or consequences associated with becoming delinquent in the system.

ICYMI: Member Enrollment Requirements Effective 09/01/2024

Please be advised that, effective September 1, 2024:



• Members have 90 days to complete and submit the enrollment form to MPERS. This includes pages 1-7, and all labs listed on page 7.
• Members’ birth certificate and Social Security card are required upon employment.
• Members in eligible municipalities who want to opt out of MPERS must file their affidavit with MPERS by the later of 1) within 30 days of date of hire or 2) October 31, 2024. (See FAQ: Which municipalities' employees have the ability to opt-out of MPERS via affidavit?)

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Affidavits shall not be effective if the membership enrollment form, physical examination, birth certificate, and Social Security card are not sent with or prior to sending the affidavit.

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If these documents are not uploaded in PATROLE we will not be able to process a refund, and affidavits will not be processed. This includes the physical examination form, the enrollment form, the birth certificate, and Social Security card.