Trusha Patel

Originally founded on October 21, 1937, towards the end of the Great Depression, Houston Police Credit Union was created by Houston police officers to establish a financial institution that was owned and operated by the local police force—a financial cooperative. Their mission was to provide reasonably-priced loans and a safe place for life savings for Houston Police Department employees and their families. The credit union had 14 charter member-owners and in the beginning, was a meager operation. When a member-owner wanted to apply for a loan, an appointed officer would take the paperwork in his squad car to the member-owner and then return the forms to the credit union, which was originally a small office in HPD's Property Room. Alex Laux was the first approved loan. The loan limit was $25.00. In 1966, with over 2,150 member-owners and $2.5 million in total assets, the credit union grew large enough to warrant moving out of HPD headquarters and into a separate building. Located at 1600 Memorial Drive, it is still in use as the main branch today. Membership, assets, and product and service offerings have continued to increase over the years. With a board of directors comprised of HPD executives and officers, the credit union has continued to remain relevant to the lives of its member-owners, even adapting the drive-up at the main branch to accommodate various official vehicles including SWAT trucks and helicopters. As our membership has grown, so has the credit union. As of 2019, the credit union serves HPD staff, employees, and their families in three locations. Membership has grown to over 28,000 and assets have reached over $721 million. From serving academy recruits with equipment loans to retirement savings and planning, our credit union has become a vital part of our member-owners'​ lives through every stage of their career.