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History
of The Fraternal Order of Police
In 1915,
the life of a policeman was bleak. In many communities they were forced
to work 12 hour days, 365 days a year. Police officers didn't like it,
but there was little they could do to change their working conditions.
There were no organizations to make their voices heard; no other means
to make their grievances known.
This
soon changed, thanks to the courage and wisdom of two Pittsburgh patrol
officers. Martin Toole and Delbert Nagle knew they must first organize
police officers, like other labor interests, if they were to be
successful in making life better for themselves and their fellow police
officers. They and 21 others "who were willing to take a
chance" met on May 14, 1915, and held the first meeting of the
Fraternal Order of Police. They formed Fort Pitt Lodge #1.
They
decided on this name due to the anti-union sentiment of the time.
However, there was no mistaking their intentions. As they told their
city mayor, Joe Armstrong, the FOP would be the means "to bring our
grievances before the Mayor or Council and have many things adjusted
that we are unable to present in any other way...we could get many
things through our legislature that our Council will not, or cannot give
us."
And so
it began, a tradition of police officers representing police officers.
The Fraternal Order of Police was given life by two dedicated police
officers determined to better their profession and those who choose to
protect and serve our communities, our states, and our country. It was
not long afterward that Mayor Armstrong was congratulating the Fraternal
Order of Police for their "strong influence in the legislatures in
various states,...their considerate and charitable efforts" on
behalf of the officers in need and for the FOP's "efforts at
increasing the public confidence toward the police to the benefit of the
peace, as well as the public."
From
that small beginning the Fraternal Order of Police began growing
steadily. In 1917, the idea of a National Organization of Police
Officers came about. Today, the tradition that was first envisioned 90
years ago lives on with more than 2,100 local lodges and more than
350,000 members in the United States. The Fraternal Order of Police has
become the largest professional police organization in the country. The
FOP continues to grow because we have been true to the tradition and
continued to build on it. The Fraternal Order of Police are proud
professionals working on behalf of law enforcement officers from all
ranks and levels of government. |
