The Missouri Peace Officers Association is one of the oldest and largest associations of law enforcement personnel in the state of Missouri. The MPOA has been in existence since 1932. Membership in the MPOA is open to all branches and ranks of the criminal justice field: chiefs and patrol officers, sheriffs and deputies, prosecuting attorneys, judges, coroners, FBI, Secret Service, DEA, US Postal Inspectors, ATF, US Marshals, TSA, railroad police, university police, Missouri State Water Patrol, Missouri Department of Conservation Agents, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri State Fire Marshal personnel, Missouri Capitol Police-all branches of the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Membership also includes those in the private security profession. The MPOA membership is inclusive of all people in the criminal justice field in the state of Missouri.
An annual conference co-sponsored by the Missouri Peace Officers Association provides training sessions in current issues of law enforcement to keep members of the profession informed on new procedures. The conferences enable members to exchange ideas and encourages cooperation among all groups of law enforcement. A free exchange of ideas and experiences is encouraged to help members in solving local problems within each community. When Missouri's peace officers work together in a cooperative manner our communities benefit and law enforcement is enhanced for the citizens of Missouri.
A standing legislative committee comprised of a cross section of MPOA members from throughout the state encourages and supports the passage of stronger criminal laws.
The official publication for the Missouri Peace Officers Association, LAW ENFORCEMENT, has been in continuous publication for more than 50 years. This magazine provides a means of communication for MPOA membership and is continually reminding the citizens we serve of the work their peace officers are doing in the protection of life and property. Each issue carries educational and instructive articles and reports on the activities of various member agencies.
The MPOA also supports a variety of activities throughout Missouri that are beneficial to our youth and local communities. Some of these activities have included support for Missouri Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald Houses, Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C., MPOA college scholarships, and a variety of training programs for Missouri peace officers. In addition, the MPOA provides a death benefit to the family of any law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in Missouri.
One of the programs that the MPOA is most proud of is the sponsorship of an essay contest open to all eighth grade students in Missouri on the topic of "Why I will say No to Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco." The contest seeks to stimulate research and discussion among students about the problems of illegal use and abuse of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco in the student population.
Through united membership in the MPOA, the Association strives to raise the standards of law enforcement in a professional way to enhance the abilities of officers in service to their communities.
