Who Are We? The Colorado Fraternal Order of Police
The Fraternal Order of Police is the world’s largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers with more than 350,000 members worldwide in over 2,200 lodges. The Colorado Fraternal Order of Police is the Colorado’s largest representative organization of sworn law enforcement officers with more than 8,000 members statewide in over 46 local lodges.
We are the voice of those who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving our communities. We are committed to improving and maintaining the working conditions and benefits of law enforcement officers and the safety of those we serve through legislation, information, community involvement and employee representation.
There are only 14 cities in Colorado that allow collective bargaining with their law enforcement employees. The FOP represents the majority of those employees, and enters into collective bargaining agreements in those jurisdictions involving working conditions and wages & benefits. The FOP provides labor services to all of its members, whether they have the right to collectively bargain or not. Our labor services programs include:
- Full-service union representation
- Representation and legal assistance on any Federal, State or Local workplace labor law (FLSA, Discrimination, Harassment etc)
- Workers Comp assistance and legal representation
- Media relations
- Labor Training
- Provide Charter Amendments & Ordinances on Collective bargaining
- Legal assistance on FLSA and other Federal and local labor and workplace laws
- Provide County Code/Ordinance Wording for Collective Bargaining
- Assist with Local Collective Bargaining Petition Initiatives and Elections
- Educate Lodges on Political Action and Local Lobbying
- Negotiating and enforcing your collective bargaining agreement
- To assist you in mediation
- To assist in arbitration
- To pursue your grievances
- Experienced staff of labor attorneys
The Colorado State FOP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) provides FOP members with a “no caps” “no deductibles” legal defense for duty related incidents. The State FOP is partnered with the “National FOP Legal Defense Fund”. The Colorado LDF provides full coverage for all duty related administrative incidents. The National LDF covers all duty related incidents involving all civil or criminal actions against the officer. The National LDF Plan has approved our Colorado Attorneys so members have direct access to local, high quality law enforcement specialists in legal representation.
The Legal Defense Fund is staffed with a group of vetted attorneys specialized in law enforcement officer defense who are committed to providing a member the best criminal and administrative defense available. Colorado’s LDF Attorneys are experts at what they do, and provide our members with superb representation. Legal Defense Plan Services include:
- Critical Incidents
- Pre-Disciplinary Hearings
- Internal Affairs Investigations
- Criminal Proceedings Arising from a Covered Incident
- Administrative Actions
Beginning in October the FOP Legal Defense Plan will be covering all members with no deductible financial liability coverage to cover financial exposure created by the passage of Colorado Senate Bill 20-217. Coverage will be up to and including $25,000 which is the maximum liability exposure for Colorado's Law Enforcement Officers under that bill. Contact your local lodge president for details.
The Colorado FOP also offers its members a “Non-Duty Related Legal Plan” for legal matters that aren’t work related. Plan participation is optional to FOP members, but HIGHLY recommended and encouraged. The Non-Duty Legal Plan offers up to $15,000 of legal coverage involving non-duty related legal issues, per calendar year, in the following areas:
- Off Duty non-work-related Criminal Defense
- Employment Law: This area of coverage includes unemployment hearings, civil rights matters, and Rule 106 administrative review hearings of employment / discipline hearings. This includes post-termination actions or litigations not covered by the regular LDF plan.
- General Real Estate or Transactional Matters: Includes landlord / tenant issues and disputes, real estate transactions, real estate finance and general business matters.
- Limited benefit for Family Law matters: Coverage under this plan is capped at $2,500. To realize this benefit, the member must pay the first $2,500 in fees. The plan will then pay the next $2,500 in fees. As a member of the plan, you have access to all of our legal firms who handle family law matters at the reduced rate of $165 per hour for all costs above the $2,500 benefit. This rate is offered exclusively to members of FOP who are enrolled in the Non-Duty Plan. Members can access the plan attorneys at the reduced hourly rate for the following areas of family law: Divorce, Child support, Allocation of parental rights / responsibilities. Restraining Orders, Other matters typically heard in the domestic relations docket of the Colorado District Court. Specifically excluded from the family law coverage are matters involving: Any type of adoption, International child custody matters, Immigration matters.
- Wills, Trusts and Estate Law: This area includes consultations involving and preparation of one or more of the following documents as needed: Simple wills, Medical Power of Attorney, Financial Power of Attorney, Living Will, Simple Will with Trust Provisions and Declaration of Last Remains.
- Any labor matter covered by the FOP Labor Council terms and condition are specifically excluded from this coverage.
In the area of legislation, the Colorado FOP is the only true representative voice of the line level rank and file of law enforcement officers in Colorado at our State Capital. We have a highly skilled lobbying and legislative team who are actively involved in legislative matters that are of importance to our profession, our members, and law enforcement officers throughout the Colorado.
The Colorado Fraternal Order of Police is heavily involved in officer wellness as well as suicide prevention. The FOP at the state level offers:
- Counseling services for any Colorado Police Officers and other emergency responders
- Therapy Process Group for Substance Abuse (Emergency Responders only)
- Resources and referrals for emergency responders in areas including but not limited to trauma, substance abuse, and other addictions/issues. Law Enforcement Training and Awareness.
- PTSD & Stress Related Illness Education: Providing officers and families with specific education related to the effects of PTSD and other stress related effects of the law enforcement profession. Provide officers confidential treatment options.
- Police Suicide Prevention.
The FOP also provides supplemental resources and benevolent assistance for traumatically injured officers and their families, giving needed financial assistance to survivors of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Some of the programs that are provided are:
- Assistance for local lodges when a member is killed or badly hurt in the line of duty.
- Assistance for families when their loved one is killed or badly hurt in the line of duty.
- Law Enforcement Widows & Orphans Fund.
- Assist Injured, Disabled, Sick, or Distressed Law Enforcement Members.
Additionally, the FOP supports, and is involved with, numerous benevolent and worthy community causes to foster community-wide support for law enforcement and building meaningful and positive officer-community partnerships:
- Youth Programs & Education: Provides funding for youth programs designed to promote safety, build confidence, leadership, ethics, and respect for the law.
- Positive outreach communications & discussions with citizens groups concerning police interactions with the minority communities they serve.
- Easter Seals
- Special Olympics / Torch Run
- Police Unity Tour
- Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS)
- Child Identification Program: A program that creates an identification card, and provides parents with a DNA take-home kit to gather DNA to be utilized in missing child cases.
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