It is an organization that had its beginning more than three decades ago in Florida to serve as an advocate for law enforcement officers. Today, the nationwide association provides a variety of services to those in blue. And though a number of local officers have been members for years, Fayette County now has its own chapter the of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association.

Fayette SSPBA is currently comprised of 59 officers from throughout Fayette County and the City of Senoia. Though unknown to some, Police Benevolent Association chapters across America are comprised of sworn officers, jailers and support staff providing law enforcement services and being paid by their respective agencies.

“We’re here to help open lines of communication between officers, agencies, cities and the county,” said Fayette County Chapter President David Webb. “The idea of that communication is to result in a better work environment.”

Though a much smaller number of officers have PBA members for years, the Fayette County chapter was officially formed in recent months. At 59 members and counting, Fayetteville Police Officer and Fayette chapter board member Mike Francis said increasing membership both locally and across metro Atlanta was the catalyst for forming the local chapter.

“We used to be part of the metro Atlanta chapter,” he said, stressing that PBA is an association, not a union. “But it got so large that PBA encouraged local areas to break off and form local chapters.”

Now formed, Fayette PBA has a wide-ranging set of goals designed to assist both officers and the community. From the standpoint of service to members, SSPBA provides salary replacement for accidental death both on and off-duty. The on-duty death benefit is the equivalent of one year’s salary, with a $60,000 maximum, while the off-duty benefit pays $5,000.

“It’s like any insurance policy,” said Webb. “You have it but you hope you don’t ever have to use it.”

SSPBA also provides assistance in grievance and disciplinary actions and providing legal representation, with no cap, for duty-related criminal actions and civil suits, said Webb.

“Members are protected in the event they are named in a civil lawsuit as a result of their duties as law enforcement officers,” he said.

Regarding grievances, Webb said, PBA will assist officers as long as the issue occurred in the line of duty. Members can bring their grievance to the local PBA grievance committee for review and can gain assistance provided the disciplinary action taken against the officer was due to unfair treatment. It depends on what is considered fair in the eyes of the court and whether the action constitutes a consistent and normal practice of the agency involved, Webb said. If accepted by the local chapter, the grievance will be forwarded to SSPBA’s legal department for further review to determine if additional action is warranted.

“The overall purpose of providing grievance assistance is to protect the officer’s civil and Constitutional rights,” Webb said.

Like its national association, SSPBA does not shy away from the world of politics. To the contrary, SSPBA lobbies on local, state and national levels and supports or endorses specific candidates for office. Following PBA procedures, Webb said the local chapter will screen candidates that choose to participate to determine which candidates will be endorsed, contingent on their position as it relates to law enforcement issues. Once endorsed, the Fayette chapter will encourage its members to support the candidate on their own time. Fayette PBA will not endorse candidates that do not participate in the screening process.

“We want to get involved in local elections as they relate to law enforcement issues. We may support incumbents or we may support challengers,” Webb explained. “But we won’t blindly endorse those who don’t participate. It wouldn’t be fair to the other candidates.”

As with local chapters around the country, Fayette SSPBA sets a goal to positively impact the community through various fundraising efforts. Webb said local PBA chapters get involved with community-related that benefit children, families and other non-profits. Two of those activities, a food drive and the Shop with a Cop program, will be providing local assistance to needy families and children shortly before Christmas.

As a new chapter of SSPBA, the Fayette group is working in conjunction with Fayetteville Police for the annual Shop with a Cop effort. The groups will be seeking donations to buy Christmas presents for children in hardship situations. Once the need is confirmed, the groups obtain permission from parents to take the child shopping. Though not often realized by many, said Webb, the children often use the money to buy presents for their parents or siblings rather than for themselves.

The Fayette PBA chapter will also sponsor a food drive aimed at providing food and other items to needy families in Fayette County and Senoia.

“It is our hope that individuals and businesses throughout Fayette County and the City of Senoia will assist us in donating food and sundries via food vouchers, gift certificates and/or monetary donations that will be used by the Fayette chapter to go to these needy families,” said Webb.

Webb said those wishing to participate with these fundraising efforts should contact him at 770-560-4679. Donations can also be sent to the Police Benevolent Association of Georgia, Inc., to the attention of the Fayette County Chapter, at 1900 Brannan Road, McDonough, GA 30253-4310. Check donations should be made payable to Police Benevolent Association.

Speaking recently about the newly formed association, Webb, Francis, Fayette chapter Secretary and Fayette Sheriff’s Office Deputy Thomas Mindar and Fayette Board member and Tyrone Officer Matt New said the benefits of joining the association were undeniable and encouraged those in local law enforcement to join. Association dues are $18.50 per month.

PBA got its start in Dade County, Fla., in 1972. The Georgia PBA division incorporated in 1984 followed by the incorporation of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association three years later. SSPBA currently maintains more than 100 local chapters with more than 22,000 members and 180 full and part-time staff.

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