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 did not like this, but
there was little they could do to change their working conditions. There were no
organizations to make their voice 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 1955, the idea of a National Organization of Police Officers came about.
Today, the tradition that was first envisioned over 84 years ago, lives on with
nearly 2,000 local lodges and 280,000 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.
