Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association
| Formation | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Richard Mack |
| Membership | 4,500 (in 2017) |
| Website | cspoa |
The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) is a political organization of local police officials in the United States who contend that federal and state government authorities are subordinate to the local authority of county sheriffs and police. Self-described constitutional sheriffs assert that they are the supreme legal authority with the power and duty to defy or disregard laws they regard as unconstitutional. As a result, they may sometimes be referred to as sovereign sheriffs. The movement is related to previous nullification and interposition notions, and promotes such efforts. It has been described as far-right by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The CSPOA has claimed a membership of 400.
According to the Associated Press, "details of its operations are closely held", and information on its finances, "where and how" it conducts its training, who its dues-paying members are, have not been released to the public. The group is now a private company according to indications of "internal records".