About the TOA

The Tempe Officers Association was formed in the late 1990’s to bring together the Officers and Sergeants in the City of Tempe Police Department as a working body that could focus on vision and goals as a singular represented group. The Tempe Officers Association is an independent local organization having no affiliation with “big labor unions”.

The TOA supports the Tempe community through our charitable giving and the promotion of programs that enhance public safety. We work with the police department, city departments, city officials and the community by establishing partnerships that will advance the law enforcement profession and ultimately the level of service that is provided to the community members of Tempe. We also support members of the law enforcement community and their families that have encountered significant life events such as serious illnesses, distress or death.

The TOA website has become the vehicle that provides current information to our members in order to promote development and information exchange for Tempe Police Officers and Sergeants. The TOA strives to be a positive force within the community by supporting TOA Board-approved charities both actively and financially that directly affect the citizens of Tempe.

The Association knows that life is full of unexpected events so the each member is provided supplemental life insurance coverage and premium legal coverage. The legal coverage assists members with work related administrative, criminal and civil actions that might arise in the course of their duties as a police officer. Both of these are provided at no cost to the City of Tempe.

Our administrative legal protection is provided by attorney Dale Norris who is very versed in the area of public sector labor law. Mr. Norris has assisted numerous Arizona police officers preserve or win back their police careers.

Our criminal and civil representation is provided through the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) administered by the Peace Officers Research Association of California – PORAC. Several local criminal defense lawyers, such as Craig Mehrens, are LDF attorneys ready to serve us.

The TOA is a member of the Arizona Police Association (APA). The APA is a statewide coalition of police associations that represents our interest on the state level primarily in the Arizona Legislature.

APA member organizations include the Phoenix Law Enforcement A sociation(PLEA), the Associated Highway Patrolmen of Arizona (AHPA), the Mesa Police Association (MPA), the Deputies Law Enforcement Association (DLEA), Glendale Law Enforcement Association (GLEA), the Chandler Law Enforcement Association (CLEA) and the Arizona local chapter of the Border Patrol Officers Association. The APA has 6,000 plus members and it has two full-time lobbyists working in the legislature.

The TOA is also a proud member of the 100 CLUB . The 100 Club is a non-profit organization which donates money to the family of law enforcement and firefighters who are injured or killed in the line of duty.