Eligibility
All St. Louis County Police Association FOP member police officers, professional staff or a representative for a member are eligible to request assistance through the foundation. Benefit assistance can be requested for the member or a person of the member’s immediate family. Immediate family is defined as spouse or dependent child.
The requested benefit assistance must be for help with a crisis such as an injury, illness or other unforeseen hardship beyond the member’s control.
Benefit Assistance Available
Benefit assistance can be requested in the form of grants not to exceed $1500.00. While there is no lifetime maximum, any additional requests within a one-year period must be carefully considered to ensure there is no abuse of the intent of the funds.
Exceptions to the policy can be made in certain circumstances, and the board may elect to provide grants greater than $1500 should the requester fully explain and justify why an exception should be made. Documentation may be requested by the board.
Application Procedures
- The officer, professional staff member or their representative requesting assistance through the foundation must complete in full an Application for Benefit Assistance which can be found at www.needofaid-slcpa.org. If an exception to the benefit policy is being requested, an Application for Additional Benefit Assistance should be filled out in conjunction with the original application.
- The officer, professional staff member or their representative must deliver the application(s) to a Need of Aid Board Director or email the application(s) to the foundation at needofaid@slcpa.org.
Application Review
The board of directors will review the application to determine validity, extent of hardship, need for benefit assistance and the amount of grant to be provided. In addition, the board of directors will consider whether previous Need of Aid benefit assistance has been received by the applicant and whether the applicant is a member of SLCPA FOP in good standing.
The board meets on an on-call basis when a benefit assistance application is received. The goal of the foundation is to respond to each request within seven (7) business days.
All applications are considered confidential information and will not be discussed outside of the foundation’s board of directors. The foundation’s board reserves the right to contact anyone involved concerning the request.
Disbursements
Upon approval, the benefit assistance will be dispersed in the form of a check from Need of Aid and payable to the officer or professional staff member needing assistance.