Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) is an optional program in which members of a defined benefit plan choose to freeze their regular monthly retirement benefit and have it deposited each month into a separate account with their employer while continuing to work for and draw a salary from their employer.
If you have 20 or more years of credited service under the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, you may enter into a DROP program with your employer. Under the DROP program, you must voluntarily and irrevocably elect to enter into the program with your employer for a period of up to 60 months. During the DROP period, you remain in the employment of the employer as a full-time paid firefighter or full-time paid certified peace officer, but no member or employer contributions are made to the system. This means no additional years of credited service are accrued on your behalf. Your monthly pension is calculated based upon your years of credited service and average monthly compensation at the beginning of the DROP period. This monthly pension amount is credited to a DROP account with interest currently at 8.5%