For employment as a full-time law enforcement or corrections officer for an employing agency, you may be eligible for partial cancellation of your Perkins Loan made on or after August 14, 2008, if you meet certain criteria.
- work for an eligible publicly-funded agency
- perform full-time essential services.
Activities of the agency must pertain to:
- police efforts to prevent, control, or reduce crime or to apprehend criminals;
- activities of courts and related agencies having criminal jurisdiction
- activities of corrections, probation, or parole authorities;
- the prevention, control, or reduction of juvenile delinquency or narcotic addiction.
Agencies that are primarily responsible for enforcement of civil, regulatory, or administrative laws are ineligible.
Essential Services
For the borrower’s position to be considered essential to the agency’s primary mission, he or she must be:
- either a sworn officer
- or a person whose principal responsibilities are unique to the criminal justice system and are essential in the performance of the agency’s primary mission.
The agency must be able to document the employee’s functions.
Ineligible Positions
Individuals whose official responsibilities are supportive do not qualify. Examples of ineligible positions include typing, filing, accounting, office procedures, purchasing, stock control, food service, transportation, building maintenance, equipment, grounds maintenance, public defender.
Cancellation Rates for Law Enforcement
- first and second years; 15% of the original principal loan amount, plus the interest that accrued during the year.
- third and fourth years; 20% of the original principal loan amount, plus the interest that accrued during the year.
- fifth year; 30% of the original principal loan amount, plus any interest that accrued during the year.