Police unions serve as the primary organization type that represents police officers in negotiations with their employers. These unions are designed to advocate for the interests of their members, focusing on collective bargaining agreements that cover wages, benefits, working conditions, and job security. Through collective representation, police unions empower officers to negotiate as a group, strengthening their position compared to individual negotiations.
While other options, such as police associations and guilds, might offer support and professional development for officers, they typically do not engage in negotiations with the employer regarding employment terms and conditions. Professional police brotherhoods may foster camaraderie and shared interests among officers, but they lack the formal collective bargaining power that unions possess. Hence, police unions are specifically structured to handle matters of labor negotiation and represent the workforce effectively.