The mission of the United States Park Police Fraternal Order of Police (USPPFOP) is to:
- Communicate the challenges facing United States Park Police officers to the public and the Nation’s leadership to improve the operational readiness of the Force.
- Represent officers on workplace issues
- Secure legal representation for officers
The USPPFOP is the officially recognized representative of USPP Privates, Technicians, Investigators and Detectives. We negotiate with USPP management for these officers in matters concerning working conditions, safety, and discipline.
By law, rule, and regulation the USPPFOP cannot:
- Negotiate for pay and benefits
- Call for or support a strike or job action
- Force anyone to join or pay dues
Membership in the USPPFOP is voluntary, and we are required to represent all members of the bargaining unit regardless of their membership status. The membership elects officers of the USPPFOP every two years.
USPPFOP policies regarding (National – State – Local) political issues:
- We don’t have a political action committee
- We don’t make donations to political campaigns
- We don’t make recommendations to anyone on how to vote
- We don’t endorse candidates
The USPPFOP was created in the mid-1990’s when the membership of the Police Association of the District of Columbia (PADC) voted to affiliate with the Fraternal Order of Police. When this vote occurred the active membership of the PADC was almost entirely USPP officers. There were approximately 7 active duty DC Metropolitan Police officers paying dues at the time of the vote. DC Metropolitan Police officers had migrated to the DC FOP Lodge for a variety of reasons.
Officers of the DC Metropolitan Police founded the PADC in 1903, and USPP officers became members in the early 1920’s. Up until 1962, the PADC was an association, not a union. This was because police officers were prohibited from forming unions in Washington, DC until President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10988—Employee-Management Cooperation in the Federal Service, on January 17, 1962.
At the time of the FOP affiliation vote, the PADC was the officially recognized exclusive representative of the USPP bargaining unit. The PADC had been the exclusive representative of USPP officers since the 1960’s when the USPP bargaining unit was formed because of Executive Order 10988.
District of Columbia police officers formed the PADC over 110 years ago to improve their profession. The association was created out of desperation as officers were poorly paid and had dismal working conditions. They were paid about $2.00 a day, had 80-90 hour workweeks, were required to work almost every day of the year, and had to buy their uniforms.