The Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary started in 1920 with the Fort Pitt Ladies’ Auxiliary, established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the birthplace of the FOP. Kathryn Milton spearheaded the organization of the first Auxiliary. It started as a local police wives’ group, but has grown into a national organization with over 5,500 members in 31 states. Kathryn M. Milton became the first National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, Ladies’ Auxiliary in 1941. From the 1950’s to the 1970’s, many changes occurred in law enforcement and the police family structure. In the 1980’s, the Auxiliary started to make changes that were needed in their national structure, to modernize the organization.

Membership eligibility was originally opened only to females but in recent years has been extended to ALL adult family of any member of the Fraternal Order of Police. The word "Ladies" was dropped from the name of the organization, which is now called the Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary. The Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary is now an integral, contributing extension of the FOP and the organization is prepared to meet the police family’s needs as we head into the new millennium.