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Types of Memberships…
Regular: All certified law enforcement officers employed by federal,
sate, county & municipal agencies. This includes commissioned and
certified reserve officers in good standing with their agency.
Associate: All persons employed within
law enforcement fields, who support law enforcement but are not
officers, and persons supportive of the NLPOA, but who do not
qualify for regular membership and are not employed by a law
enforcement agency.
Social: All persons not affiliated in
a law enforcement job, but who are concerned with the law
enforcement arena and support the organization.
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History Overview…
In the early 1970’s, Latino Peace Officers John Parraz, of the
Sacramento Sheriff’s Office and Vicente Calderon, of the California
Highway Patrol, had a vision. They used their personal time and
money to organize what became known as the Latino Peace Officer’s
Association (LPOA). After gathering more support they drew up a
constitution and in 1974 NLPOA was chartered as a fully recognized
non-profit organization. The first chapter was the Santa Clara
County Chapter, with a mere forty members. This was to be the
nucleus for the following chapters, which are now existing to serve
their communities.
NLPOA Today…
Today the NLPOA is considered to the largest and fastest growing
Latino Law Enforcement organization in the country. NLPOA continues
to grow and seeks out supporters, who wish to make the law
enforcement community a balanced and responsible entity to the
community and looks to contribute to policy development in the
Criminal Justice System.
NLPOA and Harris County…
NLPOA is the largest National Latino Law Enforcement association in
the United States and we have made in-roads in the mid-west region
of the country. The Southeast Harris County Chapter was chartered in
the fall of 1996.
Southeast Harris County Chapter is administered by an executive
board, which consists of elected officers and a president. The
executive board is responsible for implementing the goals of the
NLPOA. This chapter reports its activities to the National NLPOA,
which holds regular conferences across the country. NLPOA is
actively involved in almost every aspect of the Criminal Justice
System, and is not limited to law enforcement. By being actively
involved, NLPOA seeks to support its membership and the community.
We are able to do this by being involved in three key areas: Our
legislature. Our jobs. Our community.
Several officers from the Pasadena Police Department founded the
Southeast Harris County Chapter in 1996 after realizing what NLPOA
had to offer because of its multi-agency structure and community
focus, and also being part of a national organization. As a part of
its structure the Southeast Harris County Chapter has started a
Scholarship fund and is committed to raising funds to assist the
community in food and toy drives, and to help those less fortunate.
In addition, the chapter is committed to addressing the need for
Hispanic representation in Southeast Harris County’s community, and
the other surrounding agencies.
Most importantly, the chapter is
focused on preparing our membership to be ready for leadership
opportunities that may develop within the law enforcement community!
We accomplish this by helping our membership obtain access to
training that may not otherwise be available to them. Also, the
chapter looks to developing the same opportunities for Associate
membership.
Finally, our chapter welcomes
membership from all interested and supportive individuals that
would like to get involved in Southeast Harris County’s most dynamic
Hispanic law enforcement organization. We are a 501 ( c ) ( 3)
non-profit organization!
Our Philosophy regarding youth and
education has reinforced the important contributions that our
cultural diversity provides this great nation. The National Latino
Peace Officers Association:
HONORING FAMILY, EDUCATION, & COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE AND
MENTORSHIP
Preamble…
“We, the members of the National Latino Peace Officer’s Association-
Southeast Harris County Chapter, realizing that we can make a
contribution to the law enforcement process or our city, state and
nation, we fraternally established ourselves as an association to
assist, support and motivate change, whenever appropriate. We are
aware that the people served by the law enforcement system are
varied ethnically, and culturally. Therefore, the process must be
responsive to all the people of the community it serves. The
National Latino peace Officer’s Association, working cooperatively
with law enforcement agencies and the community, will endeavor to
recruit, select and retain quality people into the law enforcement
system. The National Latino Peace Officer’s Association will
endeavor to keep the community informed of the problems, needs and
opportunities in law enforcement!”
Goals and Objectives…
We, the National Latino Peace Officer’s Association have developed
four primary objective mandates:
1. Recruitment of qualified peace officers
2. Recruitment and assistance to those officers while engaged in
their probationary segment of employment
3. Education- the NLPOA will endeavor to assist their members to
engage in the promotional process.
4. To keep the community informed to the problems, needs and
opportunities in law enforcement; to serve as role models: To
utilize traditional and non-traditional modes in order to establish
a better relationships between law enforcement and the community.
Benefits…
Multi Agency Representation- As a member of NLPOA, you will be able
to network with officers from other agencies. In addition, this
structure lends a great deal of credibility to our goals and
objectives in the eyes of elected officials! This also applies to
the national and state status of this organization.
Training & Education Sponsorship- The
NLPOA is committed to ensuring that our members are ready for
leadership opportunities, as a result we sponsor TCLEOSE certified
courses, provided by the Pasadena Academy, Community College’s Law
Enforcement Departments or any accredited institution. Upon
successful completion of a course, the chapter will consider a
request for reimbursement. NLPOA will also consider requests from
members pursuing non-law enforcement education courses.
Chapter Functions…
Monthly Membership Meetings- Meetings are held each month to discuss
business, address issues, plan events, listen to guest speakers, and
to meet each other and make new and lasting friendships! Chapter
Fund-raisers-To raise funds for the chapter operations, to provide
funds for community events, & to fund other student scholarship
programs:
Teen Dances For Intermediate School Students
Scholarship Softball Tournaments
Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway for Needy Families
Benefit Basketball Tournaments
Social Events
Annual family picnics
Christmas party
Bar-B-Que & Cook-off get-togethers
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