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May 21, 2008

The Killer's Livelihood

Justin Katz

It may be an insignificant detail in the context of the suburban birthday party shooting, but this bit of information about the alleged killer relates to a major topic of conversation on any given Anchor Rising day:

Nicholas Gianquitti became a Providence police officer in July 1991. He lasted just six months.

On Jan. 27, 1992, he fractured one of his knees while chasing a suspect off North Main Street. A year later, he was granted an accidental disability pension. ...

Gianquitti has been receiving a monthly accidental disability pension of $3,481, said Providence pension administrator Octavio Cunha. Gianquitti's neighbors noticed he was often at home.

That's just about $42,000 per year (plus medical, perhaps), which as I recall is within a few thousand of the median household income for a Rhode Island family of four.

Look, police officers have a dangerous job, and we most definitely want them to have the security of knowing that a serious injury on the job won't have the consequence of turning their public service into a life sentence of squallor. But a lifelong vacation for a hurt knee?

A promise of security is not too much to ask, but when getting hurt becomes akin to winning the lottery, a line has been crossed.

Comments

But, wait! Considering this is probably tax free money means the figure is more like us poor slobs having to earn $56,000 per year.


Posted by: Jim at May 21, 2008 12:49 PM

You have to consider as well, though, that a police officer who suffers that type of injury is probably physically unable to continue as a police officer.

What should happen in these situations is that the injured officer should be transitioned into a new career that is within his or her physical capacity, with some financial protection to provide supplemental income if he or she is earning less than he or she would in a police career.

Posted by: brassband at May 21, 2008 12:55 PM

Why can't someone with a fractured knee continue to be a police officer? If guys with fractured knees can come back and play in the NFL, I'd think they could be police officers. Or for that money he's making, after he's healed, stick him on a desk. If he doesn't want to do that, that's his choice. Go find another job and give up the money.

Posted by: Ortho Doc at May 21, 2008 2:17 PM

In the Federal government,disability pensions are rare for law enforcement personnel because they are taxable and they suck big time.Also,if you are injured on the job,you get 45 CALENDAR days to get back to work or start using sick/annual leave or workman's comp(a true nightmare in the Federal system).I had to use annual leave while recovering from a severely broken hand(required 2 pins)that I got in a fight with a drug dealer.I also had to go to work in significant pain after being thrown down a flight of stairs(concrete)-at least I was on "light duty" for about two weeks.The Feds don't give a shit about what happens to you.I think there is some serious abuse of disability pensions in RI.You forgot free tuition at state colleges for such retirees and their children.

Posted by: joe bernstein at May 21, 2008 2:28 PM

How dare you question our local royalty. Police and fire are Gods to be worshipped at every turn.

Posted by: Mike at May 21, 2008 7:31 PM

Federal law enforcement personnel . . ?

When was the last time that "federal law enforcement personnel" had to run after a burglary suspect? Chase a speeder? Control a crowd?

We're talking about real cops here, not "federal law enforcement personnel."

Posted by: brassband at May 21, 2008 7:41 PM

DEA
Border Patrol
ICE
FBI HRT
Secret Service
US Coast Guard Boarding Teams and LEDets

All feds who more than occasionally have to break a sweat.

Jackass.

Posted by: Greg at May 21, 2008 7:51 PM

Brassband-You don't know what you are talking about.I spent almost 21 years on the street-I was assaulted with firearms,a vehicle more than once,an edged weapon on numerous occasions-I was nearly blinded in one eye by being kicked in the face,and two of my Border Patrol Academy classmates were killed on the job.And you know what?I never shot anybody and I'm proud of that.If you worked in INS when I did,you chased people all the time.At the time I retired,about 106 INS officers had been killed on the job,most assigned to Border Patrol.Next time you want to make an assertion of the type you did,please check your facts."Controlling a crowd"?On one operation we arrested 143 people with 19 agents raiding a company with three separate buildings.On that particular day I was attacked by an individual with a linoleum cutter in the ceiling crawlspace of one of the buildings-no fun.It was not an untypical day.My original assignment squad of 23 agents in Chicago after transferring from the Border Patrol to Investigations averaged 1000-1500 apprehensions a month.I was assigned there for over 4 years until I had enough seniority to go into an actual investigative squad.I thought I had retired until they assigned me to fugitives :).

Posted by: JOE BERNSTEIN at May 21, 2008 9:24 PM