About Us

Mission Statement

The mission of PLEA is to PROMOTE the positive role of the police profession, and to PROTECT and secure members’ rights and benefits through effective representation and professional relationships with the community and local, state and national governments.

What We Do

The following is a listing of just some of the duties and responsibilities of PLEA, its Board of Trustees, and its member representatives. Each of the items listed below represents a personal commitment of one or more of PLEA’s former and/or current personnel.

PLEA Representation

PLEA has provided representation in more than 10,000 individual official administrative investigations since 1975.  PLEA will assisted all Unit 4 employee’s in administrative investigations and hearings when they request representation.

• Grievances: Many of the member requests for assistance involve contract or issues of fairness.
• Criminal (PORAC/LDF — Legal Defense Fund)
• Civil Service Appeal (Law Offices of Napier, Baillie, Wilson, Bacon & Tallone PC)
• AZPOST Hearings (Law Offices of Napier, Baillie, Wilson, Bacon & Tallone PC)
• Industrial Injury Claim appeals and re-openers (through referrals from Napier, Baillie, Wilson, Bacon & Tallone PC)
• Member Health and Welfare
• Member Benefits — including Life and Off-duty Work Insurance options
• Retirement matters before the City of Phoenix’s Local Pension Board

Committees

PLEA Representatives have seats on a number of community and departmental committees.

Departmental

• Transfer Policy
• Uniform Committee
• Body Worn Cameras
• Career Enhancement Point Committee
• Driving Analysis Committee
• Employee Wellness/PTSD
• Master/Field Training Officer Committee
• Firearms
• Honors Board
• Negotiations
• Labor–Management Committee
• Tactical Review Committee
• Vehicle Committee
• Workplace Violence
• Domestic Violence
• Issues
• Training Needs

City of Phoenix

• City of Phoenix Health Care Task Force
• Incident Committee
• Development Advisory Board
• Block Watch Advisory Board
• Neighborhood Watch Oversight Commission
• City of Phoenix Pension Board
• City of Phoenix Public Safety Advisory Committee

State of Arizona

• Industrial Commission
• Deferred Compensation Board
• Retirement Board

Legislative

• Political Action Committee Fund
• Petition signing
• Political fund raising events and rallies
• Lobbyist through the Arizona Police Association (APA)

Legislative Initiatives

• Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP)
• To/From Work Worker’s Compensation Bill
• Retirees’ 2% Hold Harmless Bill
• Proposition 104 — Separate funding for transit, freeing up $16 million in General Fund monies specifically for police hiring
• Proposition 301 — Dedicated public safety funding
• Defeat of Proposition 487
• Transportation 2000
• New Bond Election
• National Right to Carry Firearms Bill
• Prohibited Possessor — Illegal alien
• Retiree Health Care Bill
• Police Officer Jury Exemption Bill
• Police Officer Privacy Act (Record Redaction)
• Salary Continuance for officers on military deployments
• Elimination of the City Residency Rule for Phoenix Police Officers
• Republican National Committee — endorsements
• Democratic National Committee — endorsements
• National law enforcement legislation through the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO)
• Crime Retaliatory Bill
• Occupational Disease Bill (Police Positions added to legislation)
• Arizona Peace Officer Bill of Rights
• Pension reform — Proposition 124, which was signed into law in 2016
• Accidental Disability Retirement Repayment
• Catastrophic Disability Retirement Bill
• Health Insurance Portability Legislation
• Court Service Process Bill
• Out-of-State Redemption
• Workers’ Compensation Survivor’s Benefit
• DUI Legislation (Extreme DUI)
• Craig Tiger Act (First Responder PTSD)

Memberships

• National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) — Executive Board Member
• Arizona Police Association (APA) — Executive Board Member
• Assisted in the formation of a majority of Valley/State Police Associations
• Citizens Offering Police Support (COPS)
• National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund

Community Goodwill

PLEA, through PLEA Charities, has assisted a number of community and law enforcement organizations through sponsorships, endowments and donations.

• Alkire Park Soccer League
• Arizona Law Enforcement Emerald Society
• AZ Fallen K9 Project
• Back the Blue Officer Support
• CLEA-GI
• Desert Dog K9 Trials
• Eagle Pride Marching Band Sponsorship
• The Foundation of Retired Police Officers
• Milestones Charter School
• Parents of Murdered Children
• Phoenix Police Activities League
• Phoenix Police Cadet Program
• Phoenix Police Cadet Scholarship
• Phoenix Police Employee Assistance Unit
• Phoenix Police Foundation
• Phoenix Police Museum
• Police & Paws
• Police Unity Tour
• Pueblo del Sol Elementary School
• Put on the Cape: A Foundation for Hope
• Shop With a Cop
• Silent Witness
• Special Olympics Torch Run
• Superhero Shopping Spree
• Survival Assistance Fund/Phoenix Fallen Officer Families
• Tour de Force
• United Phoenix Firefighters Annual Firefighters Ball
• United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association Charities
• Wake Up!! Club

PLEA Charities

PLEA Charities was established in 2007 as our 501(c)(3). The purpose of PLEA Charities is to promote the positive image of law enforcement and enhance the quality of life in our communities by helping police officers in need as well as assisting organizations and individuals within the communities we serve.

Contract Negotiations

• Bi-annual preparation and negotiation of the MOU
• Negotiated a 2-year MOU for 2021–2023 with a pay raise percentage across all steps, and Expanded Patrol Rifle Operator stipends, as well as improved officer rights
• Legal issues preparation and research
• National market assessment
• Financial forecast seminars and data collection
• Review of City of Phoenix financial actuaries
• Oversight of existing contract for compliance

Training

PLEA places enormous emphasis on training and education for our representatives and members.

PLEA has sponsored, attended or provided training in the following areas:

• Use of Force
• Internal Affairs Investigations
• Body Worn Cameras
• AZ POST Subject Matter Expert
• Critical Incidents/Officer Involved Shootings/In Custody Death
• Racial Profiling Investigations/Non-Bias Policing
• Legal Issues in Law Enforcement
• Employment Law
• How to Negotiate a Contract
• Collective Bargaining
• How to Run a Police/Fire Union
• Forming a Police Association
• Rights of Police Officers