N.A.P.E.D. HISTORY

On the 27th day of March, 1986,, the National Association of Police Equipment Distributors (N.A.P.E.D.) was officially incorporated in the State of Florida by the then Secretary of State, George Firestone. Frederick (Fred) Cannon had shortly before joined N.A.P.E.D. as their part-time Executive Secretary, and on that day he was officially accepted as its agent to accept service of process within the State. The purpose for the formation of this Association is in Article Three of their Articles of Association which states "The business and purpose of this corporation shall be to provide for the organizing and consolidating of those individuals, corporations and other entities in the law enforcement supply industry for the purpose of utilizing the collective experience, knowledge and information and disseminating to each member of the corporation this collective knowledge, information and experience with the intent to better serve the needs of the law enforcement industry and the law enforcement supply industry."

To sum it up, N.A.P.E.D. was formed to bring individuals, corporations and businessmen in the law enforcement supply industry together to take advantage of the vast amount of experience and information that can be shared. N.A.P.E.D. offers a number of benefits, such as:

• The Exchange of Ideas
• Seminars
• Training
• Product Endorsement
• Group Purchasing
• The ability to challenge unfair legislation as a consolidated group

This corporation started with a relatively small number of members, but has now grown into a formidable association of members, who are all large distributors of law enforcement equipment. They are backed up by associate members who are manufacturers and vendors of this type of equipment, and a small number of manufacturers representatives. The association covers the whole of the United States and Canada, and presently has a member in France, who covers many countries in Europe.

The Board of Directors at the time of incorporation in 1986 was made up of the following members:

Alan Frederick Bloomfield
Al Jennings Sutton
Steven Eugene Jenniges
William James Orr
David Henry Neft
Frederick Cannon (the newly appointed Executive Secretary)

The association holds two formal meetings each year, the first one being held in the Spring, and is the Annual General Meeting. At this meeting, other manufacturers are invited to attend and to show their products, and also get to know the members of N.A.P.E.D. In the Fall, the second General Meeting is held concurrently with the Annual Conference of the international Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc. Our members usually assist their manufacturers at their display booths in the I.A.C.P. Exhibit Hall.

N.A.P.E.D. now has grown to be a major association in the law enforcement industry, and is recognized and well respected by both the manufacturers as well as the end users - our men and women in blue - the law enforcement and public safety profession to whom we are dedicated to serve. Return