Readers Less Generous Than Police Pension Board

Former Spokane police Sgt. William Gentry is lucky. His application for a disability pension went to the Spokane Police Pension Board, not “Bagpipes” readers.

Judging by the response to Tuesday’s column, they wouldn’t have been as generous.

“Granting him disability is an insult to us taxpaying citizens as well as every honest cop in Spokane,” said Lucille Hinch of Spokane.

Gentry faces prison on a second-degree rape conviction stemming from sexual relations with a mentally retarded woman. He says he now suffers from stress and depression and is entitled to a disability pension at half pay - as opposed to a pension for past service at about 29 percent pay. Pressured by the state, the city approved the larger pension rather than face a lawsuit.

“I think the city should take its chances in court,” said Hinch. “Maybe I’d be lucky and be selected for the jury.”

Counters Allan LeTourneau of Spokane: “Pensions are earned income; they are not based on morality.”

Here are some other replies:

Shirley Pra of Spokane: “Did the pension board consider the stress inflicted on this mentally disabled woman and her family? I think Gentry should be forced to give her half of his pension.”

Kevin Gaffney of Elk: “With the incredible glut of lawyers now available and ready to jump in on any case for a percentage of the settlement, the city may indeed have been better off to have settled the case this way. It may well have saved money in the long run, even though it will cost an estimated extra $300,000 over the payout period.”

Dale Stegman of Spokane: “It was earned income up to the point of his crime, so that should be paid and nothing more.”

Mary Lee Ross of Spokane: “A man in a position of trust - he has to be the lowest of human beings, and the people who gave him the pension are just absolutely despicable.”

Ken Withey of Spokane: “I’m the first one to try to avoid lawsuits, but in this instance, it is absolutely wrong to give that man any taxpayer money. There’s no other agency I know of that would do it, and there’s no precedent that says the city has to give him that.”

Mike Reilly of Spokane: “Does this mean that if I, as a city employee, commit a felony, all I have to do is threaten to sue and I’ll still get my retirement? If that’s the case, I’m moving to Russia.”

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