Welcome to NAPO

The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is a coalition of police unions and associations from across the United States that serves to advance the interests of America's law enforcement officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.

Founded in 1978, NAPO is now the strongest unified voice supporting law enforcement officers in the United States. NAPO represents more than 2,000 police unions and associations, 238,000 sworn law enforcement officers, 11,000 retired officers and more than 100,000 citizens who share a common dedication to fair and effective crime control and law enforcement.

NAPO Announces 2008 TOP COPS
Award^® Winners

NAPO ACHIEVES VICTORY AT U.S. SUPREME COURT

On February 25, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court issued two decisions in favor of the National Association of Police Organizations ("NAPO") and law enforcement officers across the United States. First, the Court granted a motion filed by NAPO in November to allow the group to participate in the case as an "amicus curiae" or "friend of the court". The role of an amicus curiae is to make available to the Court the benefit of NAPO's extensive knowledge and experience in the sphere of law enforcement, particularly as it regards the challenges and dangers confronted by rank and file officers. NO OTHER POLICE GROUP WAS GRANTED PERMISSION BY THE COURT TO PARTICIPATE.

Second, the Court also granted a petition made by the State of Arizona and supported by NAPO, to review a decision of the Arizona State Supreme Court that, if left unchallenged, could significantly endanger the safety of officers everywhere. In the case, Tucson officers conducted a routine "Belton" search of the interior of a vehicle following the lawful arrest of the occupant. On appeal, the state supreme court held for the first time that once the officers had placed the occupant under arrest and secured him, they had lost the right to search the vehicle they had just removed him from. This decision contradicts well-settled law concerning the right of officers to search the passenger compartments of vehicles to locate and preserve evidence, to safekeep items, and most importantly, to protect themselves. If left to stand, the Arizona court's decision would force officers to try to search a vehicle when the accused is still occupying it, or to give up their legitimate right to protect their own safety by being unable to search once an arrest has been made.

The next step in this process at the U.S. Supreme Court level, now that that Court has agreed to take jurisdiction, will be for both parties to file briefs on the merits, and to set the case for oral argument. NAPO will keep all members informed of the progress of the case. The case is titled "Arizona vs. Gant" U.S. Supreme Court Case No. 07-542. NAPO's brief was authored by Devallis Rutledge of the Los Angeles County D.A.'s Office, and Bill Johnson, NAPO's executive director and general counsel.

NAPO AGAIN SOLE POLICE GROUP TO TESTIFY BEFORE U.S. SENATE

Anthony Wieners, NAPO Executive Board Member and President of the New Jersey State PBA, Testifies Before Senate Judiciary Subcommittee

On Wednesday, February, 27, 2008, Detective Anthony Wieners, NAPO Executive Board Member and President of the New Jersey State Policemen�s Benevolent Association, testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs on �Supporting the Front Line in the Fight Against Crime: Restoring Federal Funding for State and Local Law Enforcement.� �The hearing consisted of three panels of witnesses. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Mark Eply, senior counsel to the deputy attorney general of the U.S. Department of Justice, made up the first two panels.� Detective Wieners testified alongside Police Chief Jeffrey Horvath of Dover, Delaware, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Police Commissioner Charles Ramsay on the third panel. �Detective Wieners was the only representative of rank-and-file law enforcement asked to testify at the hearing.�

This is the third time in ten months that the U.S. Congress has turned to NAPO to be the sole rank-and-file law enforcement organization to provide testimony regarding the role of the federal government in helping communities prevent and respond to violent crime, as well as the need for collective bargaining for America�s law enforcement officers.� �

Detective Wieners addressed three issues in his testimony that are of increasing concern to NAPO and law enforcement: the decrease in funding for vital Department of Justice state and local law enforcement assistance programs witnessed over the past several years; the additional duties taken on by local law enforcement agencies in the post-9/11 era; and finally, the recent increase in crime rates experienced by communities nationwide.� He called on the federal government to reverse the downward spiral in support of state and local law enforcement grant programs and to recognize the important impact having more police on the streets has on crime.

Click here for a complete copy of Detective Wieners� submitted testimony.

NAPO SOLE LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS ON ISSUES OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

NAPO PRESIDENT TOM NEE TESTIFIES BEFORE SENATE JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE

During this session of Congress, NAPO President Tom Nee testified before on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs regarding the role of the federal government in helping communities prevent and respond to violent crime.� Mr. Nee addressed three issues in his testimony that are of increasing concern to NAPO and law enforcement: the decrease in funding for vital Department of Justice state and local law enforcement assistance programs witnessed over the past several years; the additional duties taken on by local law enforcement agencies in the post-9/11 era; and finally, the recent increase in crime rates experienced by communities nationwide.� He called on the federal government to reverse the downward spiral in support of state and local law enforcement grant programs and to recognize the important impact having more police on the streets has on crime.

NAPO was the sole law enforcement organization invited to speak on behalf of rank-and-file enforcement at this hearing.
[click here for Tom Nee's testimony in pdf format]

PAUL NUNZIATO, PORT AUTHORITY PBA, TESTIFIES
�BEFORE CONGRESS ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Also during this session, Paul Nunziato, Vice-President of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, testified before the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions on �Ensuring Collective Bargaining Rights for First Responders: H.R. 980, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act�.�� Specifically, Mr. Nunziato addressed the issue of collective bargaining and homeland security efforts, using his experience, and that of his fellow officers with the Port Authority Police Department, in responding to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.�� Congress needs to understand that collective bargaining rights are crucial to the protection of the health and welfare of public safety officers and their families, and that these rights in no way represent a danger to national security.�

NAPO was the only law enforcement organization asked to provide a witness to be the voice for law enforcement at this hearing.�
[click here for Paul Nunziato's testimony in pdf format]

Within a three week period, NAPO was honored twice to be the sole law enforcement organization to testify before Congress on behalf of the rank and file law enforcement community concerning the issues of federal assistance for state and local law enforcement and collective bargaining.�