RPOA History
The Riverside Police Officers’ Association was founded on March 22, 1935 as the Riverside Policemen’s Relief Association with 29 members. The Association was created to achieve the following objectives:
- To maintain a relief fund for the protection, care, and relief of the members of the Association.
- To promote fraternal friendship and to provide for the general welfare of the members and their families.
- To advance the science and art of law enforcement in general and crime prevention in particular.
- To represent members of the Association individually and collectively in their employment relationships with the City of Riverside.
At the time of its founding, the monthly dues for Association members was $2 a month for each police officer.
Early benefits included sick leave payments of $6 a day to any member who was not eligible for sick leave payments from the City. The Association also paid a death benefit of $500 to any member’s designee upon the members death from any cause except when on military leave.
By 1939 there were 178 dues paying members of the Association and the monthly dues were raised to $3 per month.
The name of the Association was changed to the Riverside Police Officers’ Association in 1978 after the first female officers were hired at the RPD.
In 1979, lieutenants and above left the RPOA and founded the Riverside Police Administrator Association.
Early benefits included sick leave payments of $6 a day to any member who was not eligible for sick leave payments from the City. The Association also paid a death benefit of $500 to any member’s designee upon the members death from any cause except when on military leave.
By 1939 there were 178 dues paying members of the Association and the monthly dues were raised to $3 per month.
The name of the Association was changed to the Riverside Police Officers’ Association in 1978 after the first female officers were hired at the RPD.
In 1979, lieutenants and above left the RPOA and founded the Riverside Police Administrator Association.