The St. Louis Police Officers Association (Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 68), which rightly notes that it often endorses Republicans, just announced that it’s endorsing a Democrat for governor: Missouri Attorney General  Jay Nixon.

Board president Sgt. Gary Wiegert said in a statement that “the association has endorsed Attorney General Nixon because of his strong record of fighting crime, protecting consumers and cleaning up government corruption.”

Wiegert noted that the association backed outgoing Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican, in 2004, and Republicans in the 2000 and 2006 U.S. Senate races (John Ashcroft and Jim Talent, respectively).

Nixon said it was a special honor to receive the SLPOA endorsement. “I believe our police officers are local heroes. They put their lives on the line everyday to protect our communities, and they deserve a Governor who will stand with them…,” he said in a statement.

The association said it “represents 1,152 active and 1,142 retired members. The organization’s members serve an estimated 343,000 citizens.”