ABOUT THE FOP

On the 14th day of May 1915

In 1915 two Pittsburgh police officers, tired of long hours and poor working conditions, decided to form a group to provide fellow officers with some form of representation. On May 14, 1915 those two officers along with 21 others met for the first time at the Wabash Station Building, Terry Street and Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was at that first meeting that the name; Fraternal Order of Police was adopted. "Twenty Three" was adopted as the password in recognition of the twenty-three men who realized they were sticking their necks out. From those humble beginnings the Fraternal Order of Police has grown into the largest professional police organization in the United States with over 270,000 members and growing!

In 1968, the governments of the City of Jacksonville and Duval County were consolidated into one government known as the City of Jacksonville, Florida and FOP Lodges 5, representing city officers, and 30, representing county officers, were consolidated into one lodge to be known as the Fraternal Order of Police Jacksonville Consolidated Lodge 5-30. Today, Jacksonville Lodge 5-30 represents more than 2,600 active and retired law enforcement officers and is the 7th largest lodge in the country.

THE MEANING OF THE EMBLEM OF THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE

The five-cornered star is to remind us of the allegiance we owe to the American flag.

The three colors Blue, Gold, and White signify the official colors of the Fraternal Order of Police. In the Blue field, in the lower left hand corner is the open eye, the eye of vigilance, the ever watchful eye, which notes the danger, and offers protections to the public. In the Blue field in the lower right corner is the handshake, this denotes Friendship.

The circle surrounding the Star, indicates our never ending efforts to promote the welfare and advancement of this order, and within its bounds we are a one great and powerful unit. In the circle over the centerpiece is our Motto, written in Latin, Jus Fides Libertatum. Jus meaning Justice. Fides meaning Friendship. Libertatum means Equality. The center of the Star is the seal of Fort Pitt. This reminds us of where the first lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police was chartered in 1915, Fort Pitt Lodge #1.

OUR OBJECT AND PURPOSE

Is to bring the highest quality of life to our members and the community we live in. We will push for fair and equitable working conditions and salaries to attract the best people to perform the stressful and often thankless job of being a professional police or corrections officer. We will continue to support our community by supporting charitable organizations and projects, which enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Duval County.

"Through organization we have the freedom of mutual interchange of thought and information, and experience of each become common to all, which results in a higher development of our intellectual, moral and social faculties; and which enables us to share in the gains and honors of advancing civilization".