Joe Occhipinti, is a retired federal immigration agent. Finally, after 30 years in the making, Joseph Occhipinti has finished his long awaited memoir on drugs, conspiracy and a corrupt justice system entitled, “FRAMED”. The book profiles his life as a highly decorated agent who investigated a murder of an NYPD po lice officer in 1988 which led to an investigation of a politically powerful drug cartel in New York City. In retribution, the cartel framed him on fabricated federal civil rights charges where there were no acts of police brutality, racial bias or corruption. This was a landmark prosecution in American history that outraged the American public, as well as two American presidents. In January of 1993, after serving eight months of a 37-month prison sentence, President George H.W. Bush commuted the remaining prison sentence given for the former federal immigration agent for allegedly conducting illegal searches and filing false reports against Hispanic store owners. On December 23, 2020, President Donald J. Trump granted him a “Full and Unconditional Pardon” with a personal apology for enduring injustice.
This is the genesis for establishing the National Police Defense Foundation in 1995 to protect and support the efforts of law enforcement officials nationwide. The National Police Defense Foundation (NPDF) is a nationally renowned and congressionally recognized IRS approved 501(c)(3) that pro vides free medical and legal support services to the law enforcement community, as well as funds a variety of public safety and law enforcement initiatives. The basic mission statement of the National Police Defense Foundation is to “Protect & Support” the efforts of law enforcement. This is being accomplished through the important medical and legal support services provided the national law enforcement community, as well as several NPDF law enforcement programs involving public safety and child safety programs.
Too often, dedicated law enforcement officials are victimized by criminal elements that fabricate allegations of misconduct. When the NPDF suspects that an officer is being unjustly prosecuted or has been falsely convicted, it will support the efforts of the officer for complete vindication. The NPDF will also consider establishing a legal defense fund wherein 100% of the tax-deductible donations can go to the officer’s defense. The NPDF has been credited for exposing many of these injustices on national news programs, such as “60 Minutes,” “NBC Dateline,” Fox News and CNN, among others. The National Police Defense Foundation, to better address the individual needs of a specific law enforcement group, established independent NPDF coalitions. At present, there are the Police Chiefs Coalition, Firefighters and EMS Coalition, NPDF Italian Coalition and Federal Officers Coalition. These coalitions fund individual NPDF program service initiatives and have an appointed administrator.
It was Joe’s foresight that he established the congressionally recognized “Safe Cop” program. Entered into the “Congressional Record” in 1995, the NPDF trademarked “Safe Cop” program is nationally renowned for posting up to a $10,000 reward for public information that results in the arrest and conviction of anyone who shoots a member of law enforcement, anywhere in the United States. The posting of the Safe Cop reward has been instrumental in bringing to justice several cop killers nationwide.
The “Safe Cop” program was also expanded to provide critical medical care and counseling to disabled law enforcement personnel worldwide. The NPDF will periodically establish a medical fund for the disabled officer or an immediate family member when they are financially unable to pay for medical treatment or have outstanding medical debt. It should be noted that “Safe Cop” was credited for pro[1]viding free grief counseling, emergency financial assistance, meals, lodging and supplies for many of the police and first responder victims of the September 11th terrorist attack. In the memory of the police officers killed on September 11th, the NPDF commissioned a world-renowned sculptor to create the September 11th Police Memorial, which is in Orange County, New York.
Joe also established the internationally renowned “Operation Kids” program which has;
- distributed over 250,000 free fingerprint/DNA kits to parents
- posted rewards for missing children
- established “Project Pedophile”
- funded many youth athletic events and other related charitable endeavors for children
- granted over 50 scholarships to college-bound students
- arranged life-saving operations and medical treatment to critically and severely handicapped children
The published memoir FRAMED, I Never Stood a Chance is available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Walmart.
Joseph Occhipinti is a native New Yorker who resides in New Jersey with his wife of 41 years, Angela, and three daughters. He founded and volunteers as the Executive Director for the National Police Defense Foundation whose membership exceeds over 210,000 members and supporters worldwide. More information can be found here