Whenever a person has been duly appointed, and has served honorably for a period of twenty-five years, as a member, in any capacity, of the regularly constituted police department of a city subject to the provisions of this chapter, the board, after hearing, if one is requested in writing, may order and direct that such person be retired, and the board shall retire any member so entitled, upon his or her written request therefor. The member so retired *hereafter shall be paid from the fund during his or her lifetime a pension equal to fifty percent of the amount of salary *at any time hereafter attached to the position held by the retired member for the year preceding the date of his or her retirement: PROVIDED, That, except as to a position higher than that of captain held for at least three calendar years prior to date of retirement, no such pension shall exceed an amount equivalent to fifty percent of the salary of captain, and all existing pensions shall be increased to not less than three hundred dollars per month as of April 25, 1973: PROVIDED FURTHER, That a person *hereafter retiring who has served as a member for more than twenty-five years, shall have his or her pension payable under this section increased by two percent of his or her salary per year for each full year of such additional service to a maximum of five additional years.

Any person who has served in a position higher than the rank of captain for a minimum of three years may elect to retire at such higher position and receive for his or her lifetime a pension equal to fifty percent of the amount of the salary *at any time hereafter attached to the position held by such retired member for the year preceding his or her date of retirement: PROVIDED, That such person make the said election to retire at a higher position by September 1, 1969 and at the time of making the said election, pay into the relief and pension fund in addition to the contribution required by RCW 41.20.130: (1) an amount equal to six percent of that portion of all monthly salaries previously received upon which a sum equal to six percent has not been previously deducted and paid into the police relief and pension fund; (2) and such person agrees to continue paying into the police relief and pension fund until the date of retirement, in addition to the contributions required by RCW 41.20.130, an amount equal to six percent of that portion of monthly salary upon which a six percent contribution is not currently deducted pursuant to RCW 41.20.130.

Any person affected by this chapter who at the time of entering the armed services was a member of such police department and is a veteran as defined in RCW 41.04.005, shall have added to his or her period of employment as computed under this chapter, his or her period of war service in the armed forces, but such credited service shall not exceed five years and such period of service shall be automatically added to each member’s service upon payment by him or her of his or her contribution for the period of his or her absence at the rate provided in RCW 41.20.130.

*Reviser’s note: The words “hereafter” and “at any time hereafter” first appear in the 1961 amendment.

Effective date—Severability—Construction—1969 ex.s. c 209: See RCW 41.26.3901, 41.26.3902, and 41.26.3903.