–The Algona City Council held a discussion Monday afternoon centered around insurance coverage for the family of Officer Kevin Cram. The city does not have a policy in place on how to handle insurance coverage for family members when an officer is killed in the line of duty. Police Chief Bo Miller addressed the council, and he recommended the city cover 100% of the Cram family’s insurance costs going forward.
The council also heard from Amanda Buenting, the widow of Rockwell City Police Officer Jamie Buenting, who was shot and killed in the line of duty back in September of 2013. Buenting told the council about her experience after her husband was killed with regards to insurance coverage.
Buenting says officials in Rockwell City initially kept her family on their insurance plan.
Buenting says at that time, she had to turn to the state legislature to change the law so cities could extend insurance coverage to family members in the event of a death in the line of duty.
The council instructed City Administrator Jacob Tjaden to work with the city’s insurance provider to draft a policy that will allow the Cram family to continue with their insurance coverage. The city is extending the current insurance coverage for the family until the new policy is written and approved by the council.
