The International Union of Police Associations (IUPA) endorsed former President Donald Trump in his White House bid on Tuesday, as polling shows crime is a top issue to the American electorate.
In a press release, IUPA President Sam Cabral announced that the organization’s executive board of directors unanimously endorsed Trump.
“President Trump’s history of support for the men and women of Law Enforcement is unmatched. His policies and actions were directed at improving safety in our communities and the men and women who provide that shield,” the release stated, adding that the 45th president “earned and deserves” the IUPA’s “wholehearted support.”
The organization, first chartered in 1979, went on to call out aspects of Democrats’ “doctrine” that have had “tragic” impacts on communities:
Much of the Democrat’s doctrine supports defunding the police; favors sanctuary cities, open borders, and reduced accountability for criminal behavior. The tragic result is apparent in those cities who have embraced these policies — the unfortunate forced businesses closures and plight that followed. Roving gangs are terrorizing retail businesses, raiding them with absolute impunity, akin to a thousand year past — regressive rather than their own progressive ideology. They have not dealt with the consequences of their own failed strategies, while we have all suffered.
The IUPA, the first national law enforcement group to back Trump in 2024, further highlighted that police departments are losing officers at an “alarming” clip, leading to a “diminished presence.”
“We firmly believe that Donald Trump can and will address these issues effectively, while reinstating the confidence of a safe and prosperous United States of America,” the group added.
Trump had the group’s support in 2020 and also landed the endorsement of the National Fraternal Order of Police and the National Association of Police Organization that year, as Breitbart News noted.
The endorsement comes as Americans see crime as a top issue early on in this election year, according to a TIPP Insights poll published Sunday. The survey asked respondents to share their perspectives on the top three “issues facing the country.” While 20 different issues were mentioned in responses, the top three were the economy (38 percent), immigration and border security (36 percent), and crime (19 percent).
The poll was conducted January 31- February 2 among 1,402 Americans, and the credibility interval is plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.
