At least seven local police departments from around the country and a state attorney general have issued scam alerts and other notices about these fundraising efforts, warning residents in their communities as recently as this summer that they have no affiliation with this group. nationalpolice.org. Only one replied directly: 90 percent went to fundraising, and 10 percent went to police support. He gave a range of donations to be made . National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. They would have soundboards with prerecorded bits that would play and give the impression they were talking to a live person but in reality it was just someone playing bits off a soundboard, he said. Msg&data rates may apply. That means of a $35 donation, no more than $3.50 goes to their stated cause, highest-volume phone messages in most major U.S. markets. "The words police and words firefighter are not trademarked," Kemerer explained, "so it is very easy for scammers to use those names and create fake organizations. Together, the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund and the International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO, have spent about $82.3 million 77 percent of their operating expenditures on fundraising services from around 2011 to March 2018, according to a Public Integrity analysis of annual tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue . Soft on Crime groups are targeting record numbers of individual law enforcement officers in law suits for police brutality. In the report, National Police Support Fund reported about $61,000 in . A secretive political group has been pulling in millions of dollars in recent months amid a growing Blue Lives Matter movement, with a cadre of telemarketers urgently telling Americans that now is the time to support the police and keep them safe. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.Paid for by National Police Support Fund, Inc. |Privacy & Refund Policy| Sitemap, Biggest Issues Facing Police Officers Today. Concerns of Police Survivors. Law Enforcement for a Safer America does not disclose on its website who is running the super PAC, but public filings reveal that leaders of one of the countrys largest police unions are pulling the strings. But whats the truth. The safest way to donate on social media or crowdfunding campaign is to give to people you actually know. Lots of different special interest groups are nonprofits, including some private businesses that pay their executives quite well. A special program within the International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO.Speaking With One Voice, Moving With One Purpose. I was contacted in Wilton, CT by representatives of the National Police Support Fund. That same tax year, the International Union of Police Associations gave 10 students pursuing advanced degrees in law enforcement an average of $2,500 apiece. "Being that it was a recording right off the bat . It was found that only 2.7% of donations to the relief fund actually went to the families of fallen officers. generic photos, there is no real content validating that they do anything to actually support the police. Other policies that the NPA promotes include aggressive stop-and-frisk tactics and broken windows policingstrategies that have resulted in unconstitutional practices that undermine civil liberties. The organization began as a service program providing mentorship and outreach activities to youth as a way to combat juvenile crime. People are receiving phone scam calls asking for donations to help out local police departments or slain and wounded police offers. To find out more about these organizations, I probed the FEC website, where super PACs report their activity. She remembers news stories two years ago, about 67-year-old Jerry Hinkle, a Cincinnati man who raised thousands of dollars for the Shop with a Cop program, then admitted in court that he spent it on personal expenses (the case ended with a plea agreement). The International Union of Police Associations and its related organizations go by more than a dozen different names, including the Police Officers Support Association and the National Emergency Responders Coalition. We support police officers who risk their lives daily protecting our communities. California resident Kellie Van Westen, 69, said she has family members who are law enforcement officers and that she believed the roughly $1,400 she donated since 2019 would help bolster local police budgets and pay for equipment to keep them safe.. The groups videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. Mostly they are the products of individual scammers who smell an opportunity to cash in using the name of a victim who may or may not even be real. The answer is that, in many cases, these arent charities at all. For more information, please see our Instead, their contributions end up with a super PAC, Law Enforcement for a Safer America, which has ties to a controversial union and spends the majority of its money on its own operating costs. And the Morton Police Department in Illinois posted on Facebook about calls from a mysterious phone number with a local area code last year. National Police Association Inc. has earned a 60% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. Instead, theyre independent, expenditure-only political action committees, or super PACs. When a charitys fundraiser calls to ask you for a donation, they have to follow some rules: A: We engage in activities aimed at supporting our law enforcement officers and standing up for their rights and values throughout the political process. I started rifling through my mail as he gave me the same exact spiel this time saying he represented United Police support fund. American Association of State Troopers claims to support retired state troopers. I looked up one called Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC, which seemed to be especially active, based on Nomorobos monitoring. He could not answer. If they are PACs, the fundraising effort is politically motivated and wont necessarily support San Diego-area officers or deputies or their families. In the case of National Police Support Fund, we accept contributions and make expenditures in order to influence the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of candidates to federal, state, and local offices. He also wanted to highlight law enforcements hard work across the country. Tax filings also show that the union operates its own call center and that a company the union controls purchased a nearly 20,000 square foot office building valued at more than $2.5 million, where the union is now based. He said his father served in the Navy for nearly two decades and was always proud of his service. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Virginia incorporation papers show James Fotis is president of the Alliance and changed the name to the Defense Coalition. Super PACs generally have far fewer state-level reporting requirements and are regulated by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which has fewer enforcement options than the IRS. 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Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. Below are our favorite charities for law enforcement: National Police Foundation. He initially solicited $95 and eventually said he would accept a $15 contribution as an offer of goodwill on my part. In the first half of 2021, this organization reported donations of $4.3 million; expenditures were just under $4.2 million, the bulk of this going to overhead fundraising, lawyers, lead lists and so on. National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues. Asking for donations to the National Police Support Fund. When a solicitor for one of these groups calls a prospective donor the pitch will include the truthful statement that they are a nonprofit organization. To promote the prevention of juvenile crime and violence by building relationships among kids, cops and community through positive engagement. Just hang up. This would allow me a chance to talk to your wife about considering further contributions. The group's videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is a coalition of police unions and associations from across the United States and was organized for the purpose of advancing the interests of America's law enforcement officers through legislative advocacy, political action and education. Its made up of series of regular steps timed to the beat of the music that can be improvised as needed. Years later, as the success of the program and its activities grew, six chapters on the east coast decided to convene and discuss how athletics could be incorporated into the organizations programs. For anyone interested in supporting law enforcement, experts say, think local. Just want you notified that they are calling on area code 203 #s in CT now. If a charity is forced to move its headquarters to a new state on account of the dodgy dealings and underhand practices its been getting up to in its old home, anyone with any sense should know to keep well away, Unfortunately, the United States Deputy Sheriffs Association is well versed enough in manipulation to convince even the most well-meaning of folk that its still a cause worthy of their support. If you require additional information, then call us 1-800-247-4872 or email us at: [email protected] Your contribution is very much appreciated and although the International Union of Police Association is recognized as a non-profit by the IRS, due to its particular status (501 (c) 5), donations are not tax . As we stated earlier, these 50 charities account for almost $1 Billion in donations. We don't engage in telemarketing. But almost no one was helped. First Responders Children's Foundation. SCAM: National Police Support Fund donation. Many of the other complaints to the FTC about the political committee and its related groups said fundraisers used spoofed numbers and violated the law by calling them even though they were on the Do Not Call list, while others said they had been misled or even harassed by fundraisers. Registration with any of these state agencies does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by any state. Government documents show that the founding treasurer is currently an executive at the International Union of Police Associations. Law Enforcement for a Safer America officials did not return repeated requests for comment. A: A 527 political organization is a party committee, association, fund, or other organization organized and operated primarily for the purpose of directly or indirectly accepting contributions or making expenditures for an exempt function. On 11/4 another local call came it was the same man! I did not feel comfortable giving the information over the phone . This group purports on various websites that donations are being used to back candidates who will stand up for police and introduce legislation to help officers and provide benefits to families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. Legitimate charities can be checked on websites such as www.guidestar.org. Ask if the donation is tax-deductible. In researching the organizations, I discovered numerous similar-sounding names for PACs raising funds for police officers. The charitys programs focus primarily on education, mentorship, and athletic activities that empower youth. Years later, as the success of the . It was found that only 2.7% of donations to the relief fund actually went to the families of fallen officers. Law enforcement has a tough enough job without having to put up with charlatans masquerading as heroes. The PTRF/LEORF was created to provide specialized relief when, tragically, a law enforcement officer is killed in the line-of-duty or seriously injured in . This person spoke broken english and told me to donate using credit card. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try All Rights Reserved. I recently took about a dozen of these police-support calls to hear the pitches. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Only one replied directly: 90 percent went to fundraising, and 10 percent went to police support. The pop-up charity business is usually local, occasionally regional and rarely national. I told him I did not have any money to donate at the moment. Im calling on behalf of the National Save the Police Fund,* the voice on the phone told me. "But I'm sure there are a lot that are not on the level, so you kind of have to be cautious," she said. But these telemarketers bombarding our phone lines? These Are the 9 Best Charities for Law Enforcement in 2023. If the potential donors suspected they had given to the group before, the callers were instructed to say: I have no way of knowing because we feel that donations are given from the heart, not the hand, so we keep all donation records confidential, according to the FAQ. The website soliciting funds for Arpaio says, Liberals have targeted Sheriff Joe Arpaio with a multi-million dollar lawsuit (that could even result in jail time) because he was upholding the law of the land..