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9/11/01
In memory of those who paid the
ultimate price.
WTC
Police Disaster Relief Fund
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A BRIEF 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
aggrievances 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 1955, the idea of a National Organization of Police Officers
came about. Today, the tradition that was first envisioned over 85 years ago
lives on with more than 2,100 local lodges and nearly 300,000 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.
A book entitled "The Fraternal Order of Police, 1915-1976: A History" by
Justin E. Walsh, Ph.D., was first published in 1977. The book was reprinted
in 2001 with a new foreward by Past National President Gilbert Gallegos. The
reprinted book is available to FOP members by calling the Grand Lodge at
615.399.0900. The Library of Congress Catalog Card Number is 77-89730.
©1997-2002 Fraternal Order of Police, Grand Lodge |
