Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-20 : LOCAL GOVERNMENT — PUBLIC SAFETY — POLICE AND FIRE MERIT SYSTEMS —8-3.5-20 - Retirement age TEXT PDF A member of the department shall retire from the department when the member reaches the member's seventieth birthday. However, a member of the department who is seventy (70) years of age or older at the time the ordinance or resolution establishing the merit system takes effect may serve until the end of the calendar year. IC 36-8-3.5-20 Local Government Recodification Citation: New. As added by Acts1981 , P.L. 316, SEC.1. Amended by P.L. 38-1986, SEC.2; P.L. 180-2002, SEC.6.