The Alabama Police Benevolent Association is a professional service-oriented organization made up of law enforcement officers for law enforcement officers.  We are dedicated to protecting our members from unfair discipline and terminations.  We seek to improve members’ benefits, working environment, equipment, and quality of life through effective political activity.  Our division and chapter leaders are encouraged to participate in political activities on all levels of government, including municipal, county, state, and federal.  Through my experiences with elected officials as division and chapter president, it has become very clear to me that politics truly starts at home with our local community leaders and representatives.  Our voice will only be heard in the political community as loudly as our members’ involvement.  Your involvement with your local chapter is extremely important.  In order for your concerns and issues to be addressed by your local community leaders, you must get involved and be part of this important process.

The PBA is the most effective voice for law enforcement personnel in the State of Alabama offering legal services second to none.  As I have stated, we are a self-help organization.  The PBA is not affiliated with any national or international union.  We prohibit our members from engaging in or condoning any type of strike by law enforcement.  We, as law enforcement officers, took an oath to protect and serve our communities.  The PBA, represents our members through strong effective political activity.  Our parent website, www.sspba.org lists all the valuable benefits offered to our membership.  I encourage you to take the time and review these benefits and spread the good news to your fellow officers of the only law enforcement organization that can offer the legal protection for them and their families.

The Alabama PBA has been extremely successful in pursuing and lobbying legislation to be enacted into law.  The Alabama PBA can take pride in the fact that we have a “Due Process” law that requires that every officer be given due process once an administrative or termination action has been brought against an officer.  PBA was also very successful in 1995 when the “Political Activities” bill was enacted into law.  This bill grants all law enforcement officers and civil service employees the legal right to participate in one of our most important and fundamental rights and that is to participate in political activities on all levels of government.  Before this law was enacted, public employees were prohibited from participating in the political process.  In 2000, the Alabama PBA, along with the assistance of the firefighters association, was successful again by the passage and enactment into law of the “Hazardous Duty” bill.  This bill gives public safety officers a greater retirement by crediting one year of service for every five years of service.  As you can see, many things can be achieved through political activities if we have the commitment and involvement of our members.  We have only scratched the surface of what can be achieved in an effort to improve the quality of life for our membership and for law enforcement officers throughout our state.  Again, we can only be as successful as your involvement in your local PBA chapters.