Benefits

On June 21, 1990, the North Carolina State Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police created what is now known
as the North Carolina State Lodge Death Benefit Program. The State Lodge provides a Death Benefit for
every qualified member in good standing. A listing of such members will be maintained in the State
Lodge Office.

BENEFITS

A basic benefit of $3,000 will be paid for a death by natural causes. An additional benefit of $3,000 in
the event of an accidental death and another $3,000 in the event of line of duty death. i.e.: Natural
-$3,000; Accidental - $6,000; Line of Duty - $9,000.

MILITARY PERSONNEL

Military personnel assigned to law enforcement duties are covered under the natural and accidental
portions of the coverage. Should a line of duty death occur, the State Lodge would pay that portion of the
coverage only if the death was related to the law enforcement function. The line of duty benefit will not
be paid if the death occurred either in a combat situation or any military situation not related to the law
enforcement function.

SEPARATED MEMBERS

Active members that leave law enforcement other than retirement will be dropped from the Death
Benefit Program. Active members that take a leave of absence from his/her agency to take a civilian job
in a combat zone will not be covered in the Death Benefit Program.

RETIRED MEMBERS

To become eligible for lifetime membership in the Death Benefit Program, law enforcement officers
must maintain continuous membership in the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police at least five
years prior to retirement, unless the individual is retired on an unforeseen disability through his law
enforcement retirement system.

AFFILIATE MEMBERS

These members shall be entitled to the natural, accident and in the line of duty benefits as long as they
are employed with that agency.

DURATION

This State Lodge Death Benefit program will continue in effect so long and until such time as the North
Carolina State Lodge Board of directors decides not to continue this program, and/or modify or effect
changes to the program. It is unequivocally and expressly understood that the status of membership
does not imply any guarantee or expectation of any continued rights under this program if the Lodge
decides to discontinue this program at whatever time or for whatever reason.

Legal Defense Fund
Adopted December 13, 1990

As an additional benefit to the FOP membership, the FOP, through its Legal Defense Fund, offers to
assist in the legal defense of members in good standing with the State Lodge and their local lodge when
such members face litigation or prosecution for acts within the scope of a member's employment as a
law enforcement officer.

The Legal Defense Fund is for those situations where the law enforcement officer inflicts fatal or
serious injuries upon a person or persons, is sued for civil damages or prosecuted on criminal charges
related to any incident that occurs within the member's scope of employment or faces suspension
without pay or termination as a result of any incident that occurs within the member's scope of
employment.

By the provision of a legal defense fund, the State Lodge in no way admits the liability of the
officer-member, nor does the State Lodge admit any liability of the FOP in conjunction with the
officer- member.

Who is covered?
All active FOP members who, at the time of the incident which necessitates legal defense, are active
law enforcement officers in good standing with the N.C. FOP and their local lodge.

Does the FOP have subrogation rights?
Yes. The FOP is subrogated, up to the amount given towards legal defense, to any amounts received by
the member as an award in the case. Example: Member shoots Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith sues Member. As
part of defense, Member counter- claims for attorney fees and wins. FOP is repaid by Member up to the
amount of FOP contribution from the attorney fees awarded by the Court to Member.

May I choose my attorney?
Yes. The State Lodge does not choose your attorney. However, the State Lodge through the Legal Aid
Committee may recommend a particular attorney.

Does the FOP pay me or my attorney?
The attorney, upon the attorney's submittal of a bill and the approval of the Legal Aid Committee.

Critical Incident Situations
Approved legal defense funds are available upon the authorization of any local lodge or State Board of
Director members in cases of an incident where the officer/member is involved in a situation where
serious or fatal injuries have occurred as a result of an officer/ member's actions within the scope of
his/her employment. The FOP's assistance is available by contacting a local lodge or State Board of
Directors member and notifying him/her of the critical incident. The legal defense request may be
done by phone with a follow-up request in writing. Funds will be made immediately available after the
initial phone contact. The State Board of Director member will make the initial notification to the
Legal Aid Committee, for you, in these Critical Incident Situations.

Disaster Assistance Response Team

Sharron Riley
Director

At the April 2005 State Board meeting, the trustees approved a new benefit for FOP members.
Beginning June 1, 2006, the N.C. FOP Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) will respond to a
natural disaster area to assist officers who must work and have suffered damage as a result of the
disaster.

DART will provide home stabilization assistance such as placing tarps on damaged roofs, boarding
damaged windows, removing fallen trees from drive-ways and removing furniture from flooded
homes. DART may also provide assistance to officers' families by running emergency errands, helping
with disaster assistance paperwork and encouraging the use of support organizations.

DART is under the umbrella of the NC FOP Foundation but has its own executive committee. DART is
divided into four regions: Western, Piedmont, Northeastern and Southeastern. Each region is made up
of a regional coordinator and response teams. In addition, DART has a director, record keeper,
quartermaster and treasurer.

The executive committee has been working hard since April. The committee developed a list of
equipment to purchase. In December, with funding from the trustees, DART purchased a 16 foot cargo
trailer. The trailer will be housed at the State office in Cary. The trailer will be equipped with a
generator, air compressor and assorted tools and equipment needed for repairs