In 1996, Law Enforcement representatives from throughout the country held a meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, with the purpose of forming an organization dedicated to raising social awareness and developing cohesion with other agencies through spirited contact sport. As a result, the National Law Enforcement Football League (NLEFL) was formed, playing its first season in the spring of 1997. That first season saw the Houston Gunners defeat the NYPD Finest in the Championship game.
One year later, the league was expanded to include participation from Firefighters, and Emergency Medical Services personnel, prompting it to be renamed the National Public Safety Football League, or NPSFL for short. Currently representing 13 agencies (including two of the original seven teams: NYPD & LAPD), at our height, the league boasted 28 teams nationwide.
The National Public Safety Football League is a union of public safety agency football teams located throughout the United States. We are a semi-professional level of full contact football, predominantly following NCAA rules. Our league features numerous former professional and college athletes, who have entered a career in public civil service. There are no prerequisites for prior football experience, and we welcome anyone to play, provided they are an active member of their department in good standing. The teams are united in promoting a positive self image to the public by raising funds for charity through spirited competition. The players, coaches, and staff members of each of the teams do not play for money, but for the love of the game and the desire to help raise money for the various charities in the communities that we serve.
While we continue to meet our mission of developing cohesion and promoting positive community relations, the league continues to remain vastly under-funded. We do not receive financial support from the cities or agencies we represent, but rather rely on grassroot fundraising efforts on an individual team basis each season. It is the reason there is turnover with our organizations, and why we welcome any parties interested in being a supporting sponsor, both on a national and local level. The league is incorporated in New York State, and is recognized as a not for profit organization by the Internal Revenue Service under 501c3 statute.
The NPSFL is open to all public safety agencies across the United States of America!
Is your team public safety football team ready to compete on a national level? Whether you already have an established team, or are interested in starting one within your city and department, we can help you!
All teams that compete in the NPSFL must have rosters of full time Police Officers, Firefighters, EMTs, Military Firefighters/Medics/Police, Corrections Officers, or any other full time First Responder.
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The NPSFL follows the NCAA rules for game play, including 15 minute quarters of competitive and fun tackle football. Each league game’s Head Official must be a NCAA certified referee.There are currently two divisions, Division I and Division II. Each Division Championship game is determined by a power point system taking into account each team’s league record, strength of schedule and head to head match-ups. Each team declares which Division they will compete in at the annual league meetings in November.
The Championship games rotate each year from the eastern most championship team’s home city to the western most championship team’s home city of each game’s participants. For Division One, even years are western most and odd years are eastern most. For Division Two, it is the opposite, even years are the eastern most city and odd years are the western most city. .
