The Crescent City Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police offers unrivaled benefits to its members. The FOP offers educational opportunities, prep for promotional exams, scholarships for members and family members, among other things. The FOP’s Legal Defense Plan offers legal professionals to represent you in administrative disciplinary actions, civil actions, criminal investigations, and use of force, including officer involved shootings. In addition, while, strictly speaking, falling outside of the Legal Defense Plan, the FOP also provides legal services to its members regarding injuries, grievances, payroll problems, and many other employment areas. Finally, the FOP provides each member 4 hours of legal services related to family law matters and 2 hours of legal services for whatever purpose the member may need. Often, that is enough time to cover a last will and testament, or a living will.

Some of these benefits are paid using dues money and some of these benefits are paid through the FOP’s Family Fund. The FOP’s Family Fund is funded through donations. Some of these donations come from private citizens or businesses in the private sector. However, the majority of donations to the Family Fund come from our members. While we cannot always rely on outside interests to fund our operations, we have always been able to rely on our members to look out for each other. It is the idea of brotherhood, or fraternity, that is embodied not only in the FOP’s name, but in the underlying foundation of the FOP.

Following Hurricane Katrina, donations to the FOP Family Fund were commonplace. It was more common to find FOP members, both active and retired, who voluntarily contributed to the Family Fund than to find those that did not. Unfortunately, the economic downturn in 2007-2008 hurt FOP members as much as it hurt anyone else in our community. That economic pressure made it difficult for some members to continue their contributions to the Family Fund.

Fortunately, we have weathered the storm and the economy has rebounded. With that in mind, I would like to suggest that FOP members who are not contributing to the Family Fund consider doing so once again. Contributions to the Family Fund are made via payroll deduction. I would suggest $5 per pay period. However, you can choose any amount to contribute and any contribution benefits our members.

Some of the benefits funded by the Family Fund include:

• Disaster Assistance – Following Katrina, Gustav, and most recently a spate of tornadoes that hit New Orleans East, the FOP was able to assist its members with immediate disbursements of cash when it was needed, immediately.
• Injury Assistance – When FOP members are injured on duty, it makes it impossible for officers to work overtime, details, or earn other income they might ordinarily be able to earn. The FOP provides assistance, upon request, to its members in the form of $500/month for up to 4 months, as needed.
• Reassignment Assistance – When FOP members find themselves on administrative reassignment, that can cause a significant financial burden. FOP members may find themselves reassigned following an officer involved shooting or as a result of a disciplinary investigation. The FOP provides this assistance, upon request, in the form of $500/month for up to 4 months, as needed.
• In addition, the FOP fields requests from individual members based on individual needs on a regular basis. Those requests are sent to the FOP’s Executive Board to be considered on a case by case benefit.

The FOP Family Fund is one of the tools that enables the FOP to provide the kinds of services FOP members have come to expect. The FOP has made every effort to provide the most benefits to its members, particularly where a specific need exists.

If you are currently contributing, thank you. If you are not currently contributing and you would like to do so, please contact Jim Gallagher at 504-442-4050.

The FOP Family Fund also provides an opportunity for members to make a direct contribution to the welfare of their brothers and sisters. It feels good to be able to help members of the family in blue. If we don’t look after our own, who will?