Founded in 1936, The Police Benevolent & Protective Association of Illinois is the largest downstate police association consisting of only full-time and retired sworn police officers in 189 local units. Learn more about membership benefits here.

The Association employs a lobbyist to represent the interests of our members at the State Capital. Originally, our Association was formed to safeguard police pensions. Since that time, we have continued to lead all other police organizations in lobbying efforts to protect police pensions. Our lobbying efforts also include protecting the collective bargaining rights of police officers and the lobbying of any other legislation which effects police officers.

The Association commenced the Hobart "Curley" Rogers Scholarship Fund. This fund offers college scholarships to children of our members. Our Association pays $1,000.00 each year to qualified children who attend college full time. The fund will benefit 16 of our members' children for a total of $16,000.00 per year. Learn more about our scholarship fund here.

Our Association is a member of the National Association of Police Organizations. NAPO is a coalition of police unions and associations from across the United States. NAPO was organized for the purpose of advancing the interests of America's law enforcement officers through legislative advocacy, political action, and education. One of the greatest benefits of NAPO is access to their Law Enforcement Officer's Rights Center. This branch of NAPO assists in the defense of police officers throughout the country when a police officer's legal and constitutional rights are threatened. The Rights Center is presently preparing amicus briefs in support of police officers with the United States Supreme Court. For even more information, please visit their website at www.napo.org.

Our Association Attorney represents many police officers throughout the State in all types of cases which are unique to police officers. He will assist any unit or police officer when our State Board believes that such assistance will benefit all police officers throughout the state. He also offers discounted rates for members on all legal issues even when the State Board declines to financially assist the member.

Our Association is dedicated to youth programs. Yearly, we distribute up to $1,000.00 to each local unit to assist them in their youth programs. We also encourage all or our units to become active in their community and to promote youth activities. Learn more about our youth grant here.

We support many activities which are hosted by individual units in their city or county. Such activities include annual golf tournaments, pistol shoots, softball tournaments, and bowling tournaments. We also have an annual convention which is held at varying locations throughout the State each fall. As an additional member benefit, we provide up to $1,000.00 in death benefits for both our active and retired members.

Our Association paved the way for collective bargaining by being the leader of the passage of the Illinois Public labor Relations Act. With the establishment of our Policemen's Benevolent Labor Committee, we offer collective bargaining services to individual units who desire the finest police union representation in the State.