Police Departments: Law Lobbyists Or Law Enforcers?

The police force is a powerful entity, and in many countries, their influence extends beyond law enforcement. Police departments have been known to lobby for specific laws that protect their interests and shield them from discipline, often at the expense of public safety. This is a concerning issue that has gained prominence in recent years, with police unions and associations spending millions of dollars to influence legislation and block efforts to hold law enforcement accountable. This paragraph will explore the extent of police lobbying and its impact on communities, using specific examples to illustrate the complex dynamics between police power and the public interest.

Police lobbyists spend millions to influence politicians

Police lobbyists in the United States spend millions of dollars annually to influence politicians and law enforcement policies. This spending is directed towards retaining their influence over big cities and state governments. In 2020, police unions in the three largest cities in America spent tens of millions of dollars to shape law enforcement policies and prevent reform efforts. This trend is not limited to major cities, as police unions have collectively contributed over $121 million to state political candidates since the 1990s.

The impact of this lobbying power is evident in the success of police lobbyists in convincing state legislators to reject bills that would reduce the power and role of police. They also pass legislation that includes discipline-evading provisions, such as the Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) laws. These laws grant police officers special protections from investigation and discipline, hindering efforts to hold them accountable for misconduct.

In addition to financial contributions, police lobbyists also strategically portray reformers as "soft on crime," leveraging the fear of politicians to be branded as such. This tactic further strengthens their influence over policymakers and public safety decisions.

The power of police lobbyists extends beyond state legislatures to local elections and collective bargaining tables. In Louisville, for example, the local Fraternal Order of Police secretly negotiated with the city to obtain extraordinary protections for officers, blocking meaningful changes to public safety approaches. Moreover, in 46 states that allow police to collectively bargain, 84% of police contracts include significant barriers to disciplining police and fostering genuine public safety.

The influence of police lobbyists has drawn criticism, with organizations like the ACLU launching campaigns to expose and dismantle the legal and contractual protections granted to police through their lobbying power.

Police lobby for provisions that shield them from discipline

Police lobbyists have been criticised for prioritising the protection of officers over the communities they serve. In negotiations with city and county officials, police lobbyists push for provisions that shield officers from discipline, enable police departments to act without transparency or oversight, and prevent meaningful changes to public safety approaches.

For instance, in Louisville, as protests erupted following the killing of Breonna Taylor, the local Fraternal Order of Police entered secret negotiations with the city, lobbying for protections that would block substantial changes to how the city addresses public safety. This is not an isolated incident, as nearly half of US states have laws granting police special protections from investigation and discipline.

In the 46 states that allow police collective bargaining, 84% of police contracts impose significant barriers to disciplining officers and fostering genuine public safety. These barriers include granting police lobbyists undue influence over department budgets and scales. Police lobbyists are highly effective in convincing state legislators to reject bills that would reduce police power and pass legislation that includes discipline-evading provisions, such as the Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) laws.

To promote genuine public safety, it is crucial to address the ways in which police lobbyists undermine reform efforts and limit their power to dictate public safety standards.

Police unions and their powerful lobbying efforts

Police unions have long been a feature of the United States' political landscape, with the first unions emerging in the 19th century to represent officers' interests and offer solidarity. However, it wasn't until the 1950s and 1960s that police unions gained significant political power, with the support of enabling state and federal legislation. Today, police unions are seen as a significant roadblock to any meaningful change in law enforcement policies and procedures. They spend millions of dollars annually on lobbying and have been extremely successful in influencing politicians and blocking efforts to hold police accountable.

The largest and oldest police union in the US is the National Fraternal Order of Police, with over 364,000 members, and a federal lobbying expenditure of $2.3 million in the last decade. Police unions are politically unique in that their political activity is not limited, as it is for police unions in other countries such as Canada, Australia, and England. This unlimited political activity, combined with their significant financial resources, has allowed police unions to gain a powerful position in US politics.

Police unions have been accused of lobbying for a status quo that protects them instead of the people they serve. They have been known to lobby for contract provisions that shield their officers from discipline, allow for a lack of transparency and oversight, and prevent changes that communities are demanding. For example, until George Floyd's murder, police unions in New York successfully blocked efforts to repeal a state law that shielded police-misconduct records from the public.

In addition to their lobbying efforts, police unions also wield power through their influence on political candidates. Police unions are known to endorse and contribute financially to political campaigns, and in return, lawmakers can establish their strong stance on law enforcement agendas. This arrangement has led to police unions having a powerful say in public safety policies and legislation.

The power of police unions has come under increased scrutiny in recent years, particularly following a series of police killings that sparked widespread protests. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) launched a campaign in 2021 aimed at exposing the lobbying power of police unions and dismantling the legal and contractual protections that protect officers from punishment and consequences. Despite this, police unions continue to exert a strong influence over US politics and law enforcement policies.

Police lobbyists consistently undermine reform efforts

Police lobbyists have consistently undermined reform efforts, creating significant impediments to achieving real change. In 2020, Louisville police officers killed Breonna Taylor, a Black medical worker, during a botched no-knock raid on her apartment. Her death was one of the thousands of police killings that drove the largest protests in American history that spring and summer over policing and racism in the United States. As demonstrators marched in Louisville’s streets, the local Fraternal Order of Police entered into secret negotiations with the city to lobby for extraordinary protections for officers that would block any meaningful changes to how Louisville approaches public safety. This practice isn't isolated, as nearly half of the states in the U.S. have laws granting police special protections from investigation and discipline.

In 46 states that allow police to collectively bargain, 84% of police contracts impose at least one significant barrier to disciplining police and fostering genuine public safety, including granting their lobby undue influence over the department budget and scale. In state capitols, police lobbyists are extraordinarily successful at convincing state legislators to kill bills that would reduce the role and power of police and pass legislation that ties the hands of local officials by codifying statewide discipline-evading provisions through Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) laws. Their success at securing these protections is due to the millions of dollars they spend each year to influence politicians, which they then leverage to block efforts to hold the police accountable and rig the system in favor of officers who engage in misconduct.

Police lobby for a status quo that protects them instead of the people, in ways that are extremely problematic and harmful to the communities they purport to serve. When negotiating with city and county officials for local union contracts, police lobby for contract provisions that shield their officers from discipline, allow for police departments to act without any transparency or oversight, and preemptively rule out many of the changes communities are demanding. To create and foster the genuine public safety BIPOC communities are demanding, the lobbying power of the police must be addressed.

Police lobby for a status quo that protects them

Police lobbyists in the United States have been criticised for prioritising the protection of their officers over the communities they serve. This has resulted in a status quo that undermines reform efforts and blocks meaningful changes to public safety approaches.

In Louisville, for example, following the killing of Breonna Taylor, a Black medical worker, during a botched no-knock raid on her apartment, the local Fraternal Order of Police entered into secret negotiations with the city. They successfully lobbied for extraordinary protections for officers that blocked any significant changes to how the city approaches public safety. This practice is not isolated, as nearly half of US states have laws granting police special protections from investigation and discipline.

Police lobbyists are known to spend millions of dollars annually to influence politicians and block attempts to hold police accountable. They exert significant power over elected officials and public safety in the US. In state capitols, they are highly effective at convincing state legislators to reject bills that would reduce the role and authority of the police. They also push for legislation that includes discipline-evading provisions through Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) laws.

When negotiating with city and county officials for local union contracts, police lobby for provisions that shield their officers from discipline, enable a lack of transparency and oversight, and prevent the implementation of community-demanded changes. These contract provisions include delaying interviews of officers who have injured or killed someone, restricting interrogation length and question types, and granting officers access to evidence while under investigation, such as body cam footage and witness statements.

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