Tucson Police Officers Association
TPOA is the bargaining unit for the Tucson Police Department’s Officers, Sergeants, Detectives and Community Service Officers.
Mission Statement
The Tucson Police Officers Association believes that Police Officers have the same Constitutional Rights and Due Process as other citizens of the United States and will scrupulously work to protect those rights.
The Association believes that members of the TPOA are professionals and we will strive to upgrade standards, wages, benefits and working conditions to reflect this professional status.
The Association will promote the interests of the TPOA in the U.S. Congress, Arizona State Legislature, Tucson City Council, Tucson Police Department, Arizona Police Officer Standards and Training (AZPOST), and the Tucson Civil Service Commission.
Board Members
President
Darrell Hussman
Vice President
Rick Gradillas
Secretary
Alon Hackett
Treasurer
Mike Miller
Grievance Chair
Derek Duffy
Sergeant at Large
Dave Fritsch
ODS Trustee
John Knowlton
ODW Trustee
Eddie Small
ODM Trustee
Noah Wade
ODE Trustee
Nick Horn
CID Trustee
Tina Evans
CSO Trustee
Lori Oien
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
History of the TPOA
In 1993 three officers came together and discussed the problems going on within the police department and the City of Tucson. They uncovered two major problems. First, the Tucson Police Department was (and still is) the second largest agency in Arizona, but we were 17th from the top in pay. Second, the Department was practicing inappropriate methods of investigating, recommending and administering discipline, which in turn, caused severe morale problems throughout the organization. The TPOA’s “Founding Fathers”, Richard Anemone, Mike Gurr, and Roger Carrillo decided to take a trip to Phoenix to visit the president of PLEA (Phoenix Law Enforcement Association) to get advice on how to start a police association. They received the information and ran with it.
During this time, our leadership made professional, autonomous relationships with the AFL-CIO and the CWA. In doing so, it allowed the TPOA to gain strength in numbers. They educated us in the political arena, giving us the ability to begin to fight the battles we knew were looming in the future.
In April of 1996, TPOA became the recognized bargaining unit for Tucson Police Department sergeants, detectives, officers, and marshalls.
In June of 2012, TPOA became members of the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Arizona (CLEAA).
Our goal is educate our members and the Tucson Police Department on how to best proceed as an agency. We want to lead the way in progressive member benefits.