The Fraternal Order of Police was founded on May 14, 1915 thanks to the courage and wisdom of two Pittsburgh police officers, Martin Toole and Delbert Nagle. The FOP is the largest police organization in the world with over 310,000 members. Unlike other police organizations the FOP membership is comprised solely of sworn law enforcement and corrections officers.

All FOP lodges are united by the parent organization known as the Grand Lodge. The Board of Directors are elected at a biennial conference held in odd-numbered years. Each state having a State Lodge is entitled to elect a national trustee to serve on the board. Each local lodge is entitled to send delegates to the national conference to elect the officers and set the course, which the National Lodge will follow.

Under FOP, each local lodge decides for itself whether to engage in collective bargaining, legal defense or function solely as a social, professional organization. Many lodges do both. However, this choice is left strictly to the members of each lodge with no interference or decision-making by the State Lodge, National Lodge, or members of other agencies.