About NAPO | The National Association of Police Organizations

History & Mission

The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is a coalition of police unions and associations from across the United States and was organized for the purpose of advancing the interests of America’s law enforcement officers through legislative advocacy, political action and education.

Founded in 1978, NAPO is the strongest unified voice supporting law enforcement officers in the United States. NAPO represents more than 1,000 police units and associations, and more than 241,000 sworn law enforcement officers who share a common dedication to vigorous and effective representation on behalf of our nation’s law enforcement officers.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF NAPO?

Increasingly, the rights and interests of law enforcement officers have been the subject of legislative, executive and judicial action in the nation’s capital. From issues of federal funding of State law enforcement and anti-terrorism efforts to federal policy on employee health, pension and other benefits, the actions of Congress and the Administration significantly impact public safety interests. These interests must be vigorously protected in light of the vital role law enforcement officers play in maintaining the peace and security of American society. NAPO works to influence the course of national affairs where law enforcement interests are concerned.

How Napo Helps

Repeal of the Excise (“Cadillac”) Tax on employer-sponsored health plans

Enactment of the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act and the Supporting and Treating Officers in Crisis Act

Enactment of the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act

Enactment of legislation that made the PSOB death benefit to survivors’ federal income tax free

Enactment and permanent reauthorization of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which is named after a NAPO member and New York City Detective, including the World Trade Center Health Program and the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund

Enactment of the Improvements to the Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act

Enactment of the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act (FIRST NET)

Elimination nationwide of the “source tax” on law enforcement retirees’ incomes

Enactment of the Don’t Tax Our Fall Public Safety Heroes Act, which ensured state death benefits to survivors of law enforcement officers are tax free.

Enactment of the Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act, named after two NYPD Officers and NAPO members

Enactment and renewal of the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA)

Permanent Reauthorization of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act

Enactment of legislation that created a presumption under the PSOB Program that COVID-related deaths and disability are in the line of duty

Enactment of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act

Enactment of the Fair Sentencing Act

Enactment of the Healthcare Enhancement for Local Public Safety (HELPS) Retirees Act (allows retired public safety officers to use up to $3,000 annually from their pension funds, including defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans, to pay for qualified health insurance premiums without taxing these distributions)

Enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (omnibus anti-crime legislation)

Restoration of state and local law enforcements’ access to surplus military equipment through the U.S. Department of Defense’s 1033 Program and various Departments of Justice and Homeland Security grant programs

Enactment of the Police, Fire, and Emergency Officers Educational Assistance Act

Enactment of 1988 legislation, which raised the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB) for officers severely disabled or killed in the line of duty from $50,000 to $100,000, plus annual cost of living indexing, as well as follow on legislation in 2002, which raised the PSOB base from $100,000 to $250,000. The benefit is now $389,825 for the 2022 fiscal year

Enactment of the Protecting America’s First Responders Act

Enactment of the Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act (H.R. 218, right to carry legislation)

Enactment of the National Amber Alert Act

Enactment and implementation of the Hometown Heroes Act (expands coverage of the PSOB Program to include those law enforcement officers who suffer debilitating or fatal heart attacks or strokes while on, or related to, active duty or training work)

Enactment of the Family and Medical Leave Act

WHAT ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NAPO CURRENTLY WORKING ON?

In addition to NAPO’s numerous legislative victories, there are many areas where NAPO continues to fight for America’s law enforcement officers:

Increased punishment for crimes against law enforcement officers and increased officer protections
Full funding for vital state and local law enforcement assistance programs through the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, particularly the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program, Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) Program,
Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Grant Program, and MIOTCRA
Protection of officers’ pension, healthcare, and Social Security benefits
Increased access to mental health treatment for individuals who come into contact with the criminal justice system and training for officers who encounter mentally ill offenders
Officer-worn body camera policies and funding
Police Reform
Immigration and border security
Improvement and expansion of the PSOB Program
Federal consent decrees
Support/oppose Judicial and Executive branch nominations based on an evaluation of the nominee’s merits in regards to the law enforcement community

WHAT ELSE DOES NAPO DO TO IMPROVE THE WELFARE OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY?

NAPO not only works to influence the course of national affairs where law enforcement interests are concerned, but we also work hard to maintain the welfare of our members in the law enforcement community.

In 2002, NAPO established the National Association of Police Organizations Relief Fund, dedicated “to provide for the physical, medical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of law enforcement officers and their families who have suffered hardship as a result of catastrophe, storm, flood, earthquake, fire, evacuation, relocation, disaster, war, or other acts or accidents of nature or man.”
NAPO’s Annual TOP COPS Awards®, which was first held in October 1994, recognizes sworn law enforcement officers from across the country who are nominated by their peers for outstanding service.
NAPO established a sister 501(c)(3) research and education organization in 1991, the Police Research and Education Project (PREP). PREP has conducted research on law enforcement stress and its effect on the family after being awarded National Institute of Justice grants.
NAPO established the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Rights Center in 1994, to protect officers’ legal and constitutional rights. The Rights Center has filed numerous amicus curiae briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court and other courts of appeal on behalf of law enforcement officers from across the country.
NAPO is a founding member of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), and continues to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Memorial and the new National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, D.C.
NAPO serves as a board or coalition member on more than a dozen committees, coalitions, conferences and networks working on various causes from body armor design and usage to crime prevention to preserving retirement security.

NAPO will continue to diligently work to improve the laws and policies of the United States for the benefit of our members and the public at large. What happens in Washington, D.C. can have a very real and direct impact on the line officer in every department in this country. NAPO works to ensure that law enforcement will continue to have a seat at the table when the important decisions of our towns, our counties, our states, and our nation are made.

If you have any questions or comments please contact us at info@www.napo.org or 1-800-322-NAPO.

Our Team

OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

Mick McHale

NAPO President

Southwest Florida PBA

John Flynn

NAPO Vice President

Police Benevolent Association of The City of New York

Craig Lally

NAPO Recording Secretary

Los Angeles Police Protective League

Keith Curry

NAPO Sergeant-at-Arms

New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association

Scott Hovsepian

NAPO Treasurer

Massachusetts Coalition of Police

Scott Leeton

NAPO Executive Secretary

Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas

Mark Young

Vice President at Large for Associate Members

Detroit Police Lieutenants and Sergeants Association

James Palmer

NAPO Parliamentarian

Wisconsin Professional Police Association

Rev. Wesley McDuffie

Chaplain

Tarrant County, Texas Sheriff’s Office

William J. Johnson, CAE

NAPO Executive Director and General Counsel

National Association of Police Organizations

Executive Director

William J. Johnson Esq., CAE

Executive Director

William “Bill” Johnson serves as Executive Director of the National Association of Police Organizations, Inc. (NAPO) in Alexandria, Virginia. Johnson has served as NAPO’s Executive Director since January 2002. He also serves as legal counsel to the Association. As NAPO’s Executive Director, Johnson is responsible for the day to day operations of the largest trade association in the United States representing active duty law enforcement officers. He also presents written and oral testimony before Congress, and frequently meets with Members of Congress as well as cabinet-level appointees in the presidential administration. Johnson is also responsible for overseeing the drafting and filing of amicus curiae briefs in the Supreme Court and various appellate courts around the country. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at law enforcement and legal education seminars. Johnson holds the Certified Association Executive, or CAE credential, awarded by the American Society of Association Executives. He is a registered federal lobbyist.

Johnson is a former law enforcement officer and prosecutor, having served with a small police department in Maine, and, after attending law school, the Miami, Florida State Attorney’s Office. Johnson was responsible for prosecuting a wide range of felony cases and also served as the designated prosecutor for cases involving mentally ill defendants, where competency and/or sanity claims were at issue. He has also served as a law clerk to an Article I federal judge; a basic civil law teacher for inmates nearing release at a men’s correctional institution; and an instructor for Miami-area police academies and for new prosecutors at the State Attorney’s Office.

A native of Chicago, Johnson received his undergraduate degree in organizational behavior and management from Brown University, and his law degree from Georgetown University. He holds a postgraduate certificate in nonprofit leadership and management from Michigan State University. Johnson is also a graduate of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. He is admitted to the Virginia, Florida, Maine, District of Columbia, and United States Supreme Court bars.

Staff

Andy Edmiston

Director of Governmental Affairs

Stephanie Gessner

Office Assistant

Elizabeth Loranger

Director of Events

Colette Pastorino

Accountant

Bill Johnson

Executive Director

BYLAWS of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POLICE ORGANIZATIONS, INC.

As Amended through October, 2020

The National Association of Police Organizations, Inc., (“NAPO”), is established to provide a powerful, effective and respected voice for its member organizations and to educate the public with regard to public safety, the rights of law enforcement officers, and crime reduction.

The objective of this Association shall be to unite all law enforcement officer organizations within the United States and surrounding territories, in order to promote and maintain federal legislation most beneficial to law enforcement in general and the protection of the citizens of this Nation.

It shall further be the aim of NAPO to stimulate mutual cooperation between law enforcement organizations and to assist in the economic, social and professional advancement of all law enforcement officers.

It shall be a further aim of NAPO to educate the public concerning the methods and means of achieving more effective crime control and law enforcement so as to establish a more peaceful, tranquil and free society for all.

NAPO shall disseminate information to all member organizations and to the public regarding federal legislation and related matters which affect the interest and welfare of its member organizations, the law enforcement profession and the public.

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