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The FOP offers members several different options for additional legal coverage related to on duty and off duty incidents. In Minnesota, the FOP legal plans generally act as additional coverage to on duty incidents as Minnesota is a collective bargaining state and each officer’s individual collective bargaining unit takes precedence over the additional FOP coverage. Members are encouraged to consult their bargaining unit first with all on duty related incidents. FOP legal plan members may use the FOP legal plan to monitor the actions of the bargaining unit during an incident or issue however it should be stressed that the bargaining unit retains exclusive representation rights by Minnesota state law. Most members use the additional FOP legal coverage for off-duty employment or similar off-duty covered incidents wherein the representative bargaining unit may choose not to provide representation. Incidents related to off duty employment or similar matters can be addressed also by bargaining units in Minnesota but primarily FOP members in Minnesota use the additional FOP legal coverage for off duty incidents related to employment. There are two plans associated with the FOP in Minnesota; one plan is the Minnesota specific plan. The Minnesota FOP Legal Defense Fund is managed by the Minnesota State Lodge under the direction of the plan’s attorney, Rob Fowler. Mr. Fowler operates Fowler Law firm, L.L.C. and is the MN FOP Legal Defense Fund services provider. The State Lodge has built a positive working relationship with Mr. Fowler. Fowler Law Firm has experience in criminal defense, civil, and labor matters. Under the Minnesota plan, you will have the security of knowing exactly who your attorney is if an emergency arises. A number is available to all plan members to contact the firm directly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Minnesota specific plan costs $150 annually and membership questions should be directed to the Minnesota State Lodge or Mr. Fowler. The second available FOP plan in Minnesota is offered via the FOP Grand Lodge; the Grand Lodge plan is administered through the Hylant Group and offers members similar coverage options as the Minnesota specific plan. The National Plan offers both on duty and off duty coverage currently and price ranges from $46 to $237 annually. One of the main differences of the National Plan versus the Minnesota only plan is that fact the National Plan uses a list of attorneys that members can choose from. The list of Minnesota approved attorneys are listed for your review under the forms portion of this website. The National Plan also offers HR218 coverage for a minimum cost for members concerned about HR218. Active FOP members interested in additional legal coverage should familiarize themselves with the different options of legal coverage. Plan details can be viewed under the forms portion of this website or by viewing the following two links: Minnesota specific FOP Legal Plan: National FOP Legal Plan:
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