Local police unions join the IUPA to secure collective bargaining rights and afford their members job security. The IUPA negotiates on behalf of Local Unions for better wages, benefits, and working conditions in their contracts. 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. The IUPA provides the NewsWatch, a weekly publication that provides the most current and most relevant issues in the law enforcement community. The organization is criticized for its status as charity: it received a 'D-' rating from the Better Business Bureau and was listed among America's worst charities by the Tampa Bay Times in 2014 because of their low spending on their mission. 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. In 2017, the IUPA raised about US$13 million through solicitors, of which almost US$12 million went to the solicitors.
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.
Its board further consists of a number of uncompensated vice-presidents and had a total of 16 voting board members in 2016.
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. 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. However, its 2016 form 990 are reported a much lower number: 19,200. Since 2005 it is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, where it purchased a building in 2018 for its headquarters.
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. The IUPA supports legislation that helps law enforcement officers to do their jobs more effectively and more safely such as state legislation which gave law enforcement the tools necessary to detect fentanyl. The IUPA works to improve equipment access and safety for law enforcement officers, speaking out when officers lack access to safe equipment and taking legal action when it's deemed defective or dangerous. IUPA supports legislation that benefits law enforcement officer safety such as grant programs for bulletproof vests. IUPA has been outspoken about and worked to improve physical and mental health concerns for law enforcement. 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.
