Thursday July 6, 2017, 5:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) would like to take this opportunity to thank Officer Santos Cortez for 10-years of dedicated service to the City of Indianapolis.
Officer Cortez was appointed in 2007 to the IMPD and later assigned to Southwest District where he served honorably and was noted as an exemplary officer with keen police instincts. In June of 2012, Officer Cortez’s life changed. While responding to a hit and run accident where the suspect vehicle fled, he was searching the area when the intoxicated suspect rammed his police vehicle, ejecting him from his police car and leaving him paralyzed.
Despite the circumstances, Cortez maintained a positive attitude and became a force for change for officers now and generations to come through his lobbying for new legislation that would affect the pensions for officers who medically retire due to an on-duty injury. The following is an excerpt from House Bill 1617:
“1977 fund disability benefits. Provides that a member of the 1977 police officers’ and firefighters’ pension and disability fund (1977 fund) who has a permanent and total disability that is the direct result of a catastrophic physical personal injury that occurs in the line of duty after July 1, 2008, and that permanently prevents the 1977 fund member from performing any gainful work receives, after July 1, 2017, for the remainder of the individual’s life a disability benefit equal to the monthly salary of a first class patrolman or firefighter at the commencement of the disability. Provides that the 1977 fund member’s disability benefit increases at a rate equal to the increases in the monthly salary of a first class patrolman or firefighter. Provides for an exemption from the payment of tuition and regularly assessed fees at a state supported college, university, or technical school for a qualifying child or spouse of a 1977 fund member who has a permanent and total disability that is the direct result of a catastrophic physical personal injury that occurs in the line of duty after July 1, 2008, and that permanently prevents the 1977 fund member from performing any gainful work.”
His work on legislation with Officer Jason Fishburn (Also injured in the line of duty after being shot by a murder suspect in 2008) was not his only achievement post injury, but his public speaking engagements about the dangers of drunk driving and giving back to those in need in the community he still loves to serve:
https://bluelivesmatter.blue/paralyzed-hero-santos-cortez/
And the community, who loves him, rallied to provide for him and his family:
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/community-rallies-to-build-paralyzed-officer-new-home
We invite everyone to wish Officer Santos Cortez a happy retirement. Officer Cortez, we are family, beyond the blue line, the city will not forget you. Thank you for your sacrifice and the future impact you will have in this lifetime, as we know you are a “force for change.”
Sent by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department