International Union of Police Associations

The International Union of Police Associations (IUPA) is a North American police union and is chartered as a national union that represents law enforcement and support personnel with the AFL-CIO.[1]

IUPA
Full nameInternational Union of Police Associations
Founded1979
AffiliationAFL–CIO
Key peopleSam A. Cabral, President
Office locationSarasota, Florida
CountryUnited States, Canada
Websiteiupa.org

Organization

Local police unions join the IUPA to secure collective bargaining rights and afford their members job security.[2] The IUPA negotiates on behalf of Local Unions for better wages, benefits, and working conditions in their contracts.[3][4][5][6][7] The IUPA offers assistance on such items as equipment recommendation or budget issues and will send a representative to speak for the union. Besides help with legal representation, the IUPA offers financial, insurance and health services, educational opportunities, police products and home services.[8] Apart from police officers, IUPA also represents some corrections officers and medical first responders.[9]

The IUPA provides NewsWatch, a weekly publication for the law enforcement community.[10]

The organization has been criticized for its status as charity: it received a 'D-' rating from the Better Business Bureau[11] and was listed among America's worst charities by the Tampa Bay Times in 2014 because of their low spending on their mission.[12] IUPA operates under multiple trade names, including 'Police Officers Support Association' and 'National Emergency Responders Coalition'. The majority of their budget is spent on fundraising.[13] In 2017, the IUPA raised about US$13 million through solicitors, of which almost US$12 million went to the solicitors.[14]

Leadership

The union has three compensated 'IUPA officer' positions listed on its website:

  • Sam Cabral, who has been 'international president' since 1995 and officer of the organization since 1988. Cabral retired in 1991 from the Defiance, Ohio detective bureau.[15][16]
  • Mike Crivello is the 'international vice president' and former 'union president' (2010-2018). Crivello retired in 2009 from the USAF Security Police and in 2019 from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Police Department.[16]
  • Hugh Cameron is the 'international secretary-treasurer' . Cameron was police officer in Sharon, Massachusetts.[16]

Its board further consists of a number of uncompensated vice-presidents and had a total of 16 voting board members in 2016.[17]

History

In 1954 the predecessor of the IUPA, the National Conference of Police Associations NCPA was founded in an effort to strengthen bargaining efforts. In 1966 Canadian associations were allowed to join, and the name was changed to International Conference of Police Associations and later to International Union of Police Associations.[15] In IUPA was founded in 1979 as a national union under AFL-CIO, reported to have 51,000 members by 1979/1980, and claimed to represent over 100,000 members in 2018.[13] However, its 2016 form 990 are reported a much lower number: 19,200.[17]

Since 2005 it is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida,[18] where it purchased a building in 2018 for its headquarters.[19]

Policy positions and lobbying

The IUPA lobbied successfully in 1986 for the passage of amendments to the FLSA or Fair Labor Standards Act which helped to ensure that officers are paid fair wages, have a voice in the legal system, and have reasonable employment standards.[20]

In 2018, the IUPA was one of several organizations who supported the Providing Officers with Electronic Resources (POWER) Act to give various law enforcement access to screening devices suitable for detecting drugs such as fentanyl.[21][22]

In 2017, the IUPA, together with the Ohio State Troopers Association, filed a lawsuit against a Florida company for manufacturing defective bulletproof vests.[23] Also in 2017, a IUPA spokesperson was quoted as warning about law enforcement officers being endangered by carbon monoxide fumes from defective Ford Explorer patrol cars.[24]

In 2016, the IUPA was one of several law enforcement organizations who supported federal legislation to renew the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program.[25] In 2020, IUPA spoke out about the importance of mental health concerns for law enforcement, describing stress as a bigger threat to police officers' safety and well-being than violence.[26]

In September 2019, well over a year before the elections, the union formally endorsed the re-election campaign of Donald Trump, while stating that the Democratic contenders vilified the police.[27]

In June 2020, during the George Floyd protests, the AFL-CIO rejected demands by the Writers Guild of America, East and others to expel IUPA.[28][9]

References
  1. "International Union of Police Associations (I.U.P.A.)". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  2. Antonelli, Kris (January 19, 1992). "Worried About Layoffs, County Sergeants Form Union". The Baltimore Sun.
  3. Poolaw, Rhiannon (February 6, 2018). "City of Lawton approves police contract". KSWO-TV.
  4. Carpenter, Jacob (August 22, 2011). "Lee sheriff's sergeants seek union contract with pay raises, improved benefits". Naples Daily News.
  5. "Settled!". American Police Beat. March 30, 2016.
  6. "Sarasota-based union to represent Broward deputies". Herald-Tribune. October 6, 2015.
  7. "Source 1 Benefits to Manage Dental and Vision Benefits for Milwaukee Fire and Police Retirees". Business Wire. March 30, 2016.
  8. "Police union changes affiliation, expands goals". The Livingston Parish News. April 26, 2018.
  9. "'They don't belong': calls grow to oust police from US labor movement". the Guardian. 2020-06-11. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  10. "NewsWatch". Multiview. July 6, 2018.
  11. "International Union of Police Associations | BBB Rating Overview | Better Business Bureau® Profile". www.bbb.org. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  12. Tampa Bay Times, 2014. America's Worst Charities (pdf)
  13. "They promise to help families of fallen officers. But they're mostly paying telemarketers". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  14. Owens, Dennis. "Investigators: What to know before writing a check to a charity". ABC 27 News.
  15. Quinnell, Kenneth. "Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: International Union of Police Associations | AFL-CIO". aflcio.org. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  16. "I.U.P.A. Officers". The International Union of Police Associations. IUPA. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  17. Form 990, 2016
  18. Murdock, Zach (October 19, 2017). "Sarasota Police choose IUPA for union representation". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
  19. Report, Staff (August 20, 2018). "Union buys Sarasota office building for $2.6 million". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
  20. Baum, Erica (June 29, 2015). "4 Reasons Police Unions Should Be Protected". NewsMax.
  21. "Brown, Portman co-sponsor bill to help Ohio law enforcement detect fentanyl". Sentinel-Tribune. April 26, 2018.
  22. "Bill to aid law enforcement with drug screening". Portsmouth Daily Times. April 27, 2018.
  23. Lipscomb, Jessica (2017-10-24). "Police Unions Sue Pompano Beach Company for Making Defective Bulletproof Vests". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  24. "Ford Works With Police Agencies After Cops Sickened by Fumes". U.S. News. August 3, 2017.
  25. "Leahy's Bill to Renew His Lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Grant Program Passes House". VTDigger. 2016-05-13. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  26. Woolston, Chris (Jan 20, 2018). "Each year, dozens of cops are killed on the job. But the biggest threats to their health may be stress and depression". HealthDay.
  27. "The International Union of Police Associations Formally Endorses the Campaign for the Re-election of President Donald J. Trump". www.officer.com. 2019-09-10. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  28. "AFL-CIO board takes action on racism, police violence". The Stand. 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
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