Houston Police Patrolmen's Union

[Stupid]

Anybody knows about Houston Police Patrolmen's Union? They ask me to donate, but I don't want to donate to just anybody.

[Charles L. Cotton]

I don't have any information about their current position on guns, or more specifically CHL. One or both of the HPD unions strongly opposed the CHL bills for years, but I have no idea if their position has changed in the last 11 years.

Now, if CLEAT calls, that's an easy one to answer!

Chas.

[flintknapper]

Just be sure to "check them out", we don't need anymore of this:

The Clinton Administration was particularly successful at enlisting police support for gun control. They funneled millions of your tax dollars in political payoffs, disguised as "research" into the pockets of national law enforcement organizations.

This era spawned several police "type" organizations with blatant anti-gun agendas, such as the so-called Police Foundation, followed by a host of clones, including the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). One particularly heavily endowed group was International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), which has adopted a consistent anti-gun political agenda.

Other police groups such as the National Sheriffs Association and the Fraternal Order of Police which, previous to the Clinton era, tended to be neutral or leaning toward a pro-Second Amendment stance, were influenced into taking pro-gun control stands by the river of political money flowing from the Clinton Administration and its allies.

In one year during the Clinton Administration, the Police Executive Research Forum, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs Association and the Police Foundation collectively hauled in $4.4 million in Justice Department grants. Before then the Department of Justice dollars flowed just as freely. The International Association of Chiefs of Police raked in over $630,000. National Sheriffs Association cheerfully pocketed $516,943. The Police Executive Research Forum netted $447,343. The Police Foundation accepted a more modest $221,634.

Add up the totals [$1.8 million before, $4.4 million after] and you get a small peek at the economic and political clout the Clinton White House wielded in shaping public policy and buying national police groups into line. Every federal dollar dumped into law enforcement bank accounts is quite legal. Each has a perfectly "rational" explanation. It is merely coincidence that the police groups that scurried to do Clinton' bidding happen to be the same ones that were awarded the lucrative federal grants.

Even though Clinton has been out of office for several years, the liberal influence over these police groups remains strong. Though, thanks to the efforts of LEAA and others, that influence is now declining. Several well known law enforcement groups have reverted to more pro-Second Amendment or at least neutral positions.

[Liberty]

Anybody knows about Houston Police Patrolmen's Union? They ask me to donate, but I don't want to donate to just anybody.

Not a bloody cent from me. Most of these are professional fundraisers who forward very little to the charitible calls. There are also some assumptions. That police get killed and no one takes care of them. Most police have more benifits than I do. They have better insurance, and retirement than most of us will ever see. We hear a lot about how dangerous the job is, but frankly Convienience store operators and construction work is more dangerous. I will support some police sponsered programs. Blue Santa, for instance. And domate directly to volunteer fire departments. To give police whom aren't all that badly compensated., and I never ever give a cent to people that call me in the evening over the phone. Personaly I would rather give to groups that are more poorly compensated such as our millitary and volunteer fire dept. Giving money to just about any union seems like a bad idea for me. Most others do a good job supporting themselves from within their membership.

[Skiprr]

Here's their site: http://sps.magnifacts.com/hppu/public/Pages/HmPg.aspx

The Houston Police Patrolmen’s Union merged into the Fraternal Order of Police as Houston HPPU Lodge 109 in March of 2000. They use Public Safety Services, Inc. as their authorized fundraising solicitor, so Liberty is correct: the calls you're getting are from professional fundraisers, not LEOs. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with that; it's probably the most efficient way for many groups to raise funds. Best I can tell, PSSI is headquartered in Illinois.

Personally, I've selected The 100 Club as one of my charities, and I give directly to them, not through a middle-man. If I get calls from the FOP or other police union organizations, I tell them that's how I've chosen to contribute.

[stevie_d_64]

Liberty: "Personaly I would rather give to groups that are more poorly compensated such as our millitary and volunteer fire dept."

Skiprr: "Personally, I've selected The 100 Club as one of my charities..."

Have you guys been sneaking over looking at my mail???

Here's one to look at for a good young man right in our nieghborhood...

http://stevenshulz.pledgepage.org/

[anygunanywhere]

Why would anyone contribute to a union?

Anygun