The Fraternal Order of Police was founded in 1915 by two Pittsburgh patrol officers with the Pittsburgh Police. Martin Toole, Delbert Nagle, and 21 others "who were willing to take a chance" met on May 14, 1915, and held the first meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police. They formed Fort Pitt Lodge #1.

The name was selected due to the anti-union sentiment of the time, but the intent was to advocate for Police Officers as a labor union would. As they told their city mayor, Joe Armstrong, the FOP would be the means "to bring our grievances before the Mayor or Council and have many things adjusted that we are unable to present in any other way...we could get many things through our legislature that our Council will not, or cannot give us."