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CINCINNATI, OH [7/15/25] – Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) leaders and delegates opened day two of their state convention with a national recognition of former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and reports from state legislators.
Brown played a key role in sponsoring and seeing through the Social Security Fairness Act last session, which restored benefits for first responders who previously had their benefits reduced or eliminated due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or the Government Pension Offset (GPO).
National FOP President Patrick Yoes was on hand to present Brown with the National FOP’s Legislative Advocacy Award.
“We worked so hard to pass the Social Security Fairness Act with thousands of Ohio police officers calling, writing, and visiting Washington, DC,” Ohio FOP President Jay McDonald said. “We had no better friend in the process than Sherrod Brown, who was the primary sponsor of the Senate legislation and worked with us side by side to get it signed into law.”
The Ohio FOP is now focused on the Protect and Serve Act, working with Senators Moreno and Husted to make it a federal crime to assault police officers and to offer enhanced sentencing when police are targeted for violence.
At the state level, State Representative Cindy Abrams and State Senator Bill DeMora briefed delegates about the state budget and other legislative activities. The Ohio FOP is collaborating with legislators to enact common-sense pension reform in Ohio, which would help ensure the long-term solvency of the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund.
“We appreciate our members having the opportunity to hear from and interact with legislators as we work on vitally important legislation like pension reform,” McDonald said. “We’re also highlighting Protect Ohio Police, our new effort to separate those elected officials who talk a good game from those who actually act correctly. Gone are the days when elected officials can say one thing during our endorsement process and act differently once they’re in office. We will hold them accountable.”
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