Lots of different special interest groups are nonprofits, including some private businesses that pay their executives quite well. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. The FTC and charity regulators and law enforcement officials in every state have teamed up on more than 100 actions against dozens of fake charities, which have collected tens of millions of . The I.U.P.A. National Police Defense Foundation has earned a 81% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. He organized the Police Unity Tour as a fundraising event to honor members of law enforcement who had lost their lives in the line of service. Simple: less scrutiny. He could not answer. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. While some donors believe they are donating to . The Better Business Bureau is warning about an organization that calls itself the National Police Support Fund which, despite soliciting contributions from St. Louis-area donors, isn't . proudly complies with state regulations and required disclosures. Read our full report on the organization here, https://bit.ly/3xMbldo. Law Enforcement for a Safer America officials did not return repeated requests for comment. Busse said he and his sister took over their fathers finances last year. As we stated earlier, these 50 charities account for almost $1 Billion in donations. Simple: less scrutiny. The organization began as a service program providing mentorship and outreach activities to youth as a way to combat juvenile crime. This comes at a time when some community activists have been calling for defunding the police. Law Enforcement for a Safer America has raked in nearly $10 million in donations from January 2019 to June 2020, according to data reported to the Federal Election Commission. All Rights Reserved. Post has been removed or is no longer public. In a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission, another woman, whose name was redacted, said she received multiple calls from the National Coalition for Police and Troopers, one of the super PACs various aliases. This particular super PACs treasurer is a former cop who was arrested for stealing $50,000 from the police union for which he served as president. For example, a very well known and respected group is the Make a Wish Foundation. Entire local police unions, which negotiate collective bargaining agreements for their members, can choose to affiliate with the group. "As Pennsylvanians look to support [] Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You read that correctly. We highly encourage our followers to verify who they are making donations to when contacted for fundraisers.. SCAM: National Police Support Fund donation. He instead provided me with their national number. Find out now: How much do I need to save for retirement? Fake joke to start out. Clint Bates. Super PACs are able to raise unlimited amounts of money, which they can use to advocate for political candidates or causes. Three calls to his Virginia office for comment have gone unanswered as well as an email sent directly to his address listed in his filings with California. I said I do not donate over the phone, he said I did not need to they would mail me a pledge kit. He said he wanted a contribution for the police department and man and women who are fighting to protect us. The funds raised during their 4-day long ride are donated directly to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. He seemed okay with it. I recently took about a dozen of these police-support calls to hear the pitches. I quickly identified over 70 super PACs with police or law enforcement in their names. Contributions made to National Police Support Fund are not tax-deductible. You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. 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. 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. Years later, as the success of the . 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. Charity hustles work the same way. So what happened to the other approximately 33% of . National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. 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. And cops are facing increasing disrespect on the streets as criminals have become emboldened by the wave of anti-cop rhetoric in the news media and by many politicians. That link will take you to Illinois, where I live. Did you encounter any technical issues? He also wanted to highlight law enforcements hard work across the country. The International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO was formed in 1979 to collectively represent those in law enforcement that are active or retired law enforcement officers to fight to improve, protect, and remember the lives of officers and their families in law enforcement the organization also works to improve legislation that protects and affects public safety officers, as well as representing the needs of law enforcement officers and support personnel, whether that be for better equipment, more staff or a fair wage. Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, How Long Does It Take To Get Into Police Academy, How Many People Were Killed By Police In 2020, Where To File A Police Report For Car Accident. Unable to verify the federal tax ID, redirected to a toll-free number. The organization began as a service program providing mentorship and outreach activities to youth as a way to combat juvenile crime. Bass, who set up several other super PACs, declined to comment. The fundraisers connection to the charity. You can find more information about "who is the National Police Support . First Responders Children's Foundation. Key battles deserve tight alliances. What they do: The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League aims to minimize juvenile crime through outreach programs that pair officers with youth. Has anyone else recently seen an uptick and calls from various police support organizations? and our But their website and solicitations are designed to look and sound like Make a Wish. The former employee, who asked to remain anonymous because of a nondisclosure agreement, said he remembered fundraising companies outsourcing some of the telemarketing overseas to locations like the Philippines, where they relied on recordings instead of live agents. The BBB said days later, the New Jersey State Police photo had been removed from the site. But almost no one was helped. But as I learned, these callers are masters at evading any such disclosure. How a donation will be used, or how much of the donation actually goes to the charitys programs. 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. I feel they abuse their use of the name to maybe convey a false sense to the community about who they are and what they really do with the money.. Ask for information, check sites like Charitynavigator.org and then if it all checks out, write that check. Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. Email us: watchdog@cnn.com. For anyone interested in supporting law enforcement, experts say, think local. As the list of high-profile police shootings has grown in recent years and calls to defund the police have gotten louder, tensions between protesters and those who have rushed to the support of police some of whom have become part of a Blue Lives Matter movement have been building. Learn how vehicle tech like blind spot warnings and drowsy driving alerts can help make driving safer. Stated that donations were not tax-deductible. Police Protection Fund. Another law enforcement charity that faced disciplinary action was the American Association of State Troopers, which was fined a total of $321,115 in three states - Georgia, Mississippi and Pennsylvania. Cookie Notice Nonprofit however does not mean they are a charity. He was super pushy trying to get me to donate for 75,95, 105 dollars. "But I'm sure there are a lot that are not on the level, so you kind of have to be cautious," she said. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. Also Check: Do You Have To Pay For A Police Report. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. On 12/30/2018, I received a call from (862) 333-2411 from a man with a deep voice and a southern accent, who identified himself as Dan, if I would like to make a donation to the National Police Trust Fund. Most of the money raised went to telemarketing 87 percent and other expenses. On each call, my questions about how donations got spent mostly went unanswered. Continuously redirected to the toll free number provided which cut out each time it was listed. Do police call for donations? Consumer Protection. Each organization says it is spending money for police officers being abused and unfairly targeted. Three other IUPA executives earned more than $100,000 apiece during fiscal 2017-2018. Also in Massachusetts, a Wilmington police officer received a call soliciting donations. One woman received a call from the . Asking for donations to the National Police Support Fund. As an example, he cites former Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County in Arizona. 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. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. Recommended Reading: How To Become A Desk Police Officer, Also Check: Can Police Help Me Unlock My Car. Whether the website is from the same sector as nationalpolicesupportfund.com or not, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission. PPF has been sued by regulatory agencies in at least six states, including California, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri, and was fined $463,000. He initially solicited $95 and eventually said he would accept a $15 contribution as an offer of goodwill on my part. The solution, the letter says, is clear: Give our law enforcement officers the crime prevention tools they need. Our Police, Firefighters, and all First Responders do need our support. People are receiving phone scam calls asking for donations to help out local police departments or slain and wounded police offers. Our mission is to promote the interests of our nation's police officers within our nation's political and public policy process. Eagerly he asked if I was comfortable with that amount. A warning tonight about a phone and mail scam asking for donations. Now those same anarchists that rioted and assaulted law enforcement officers are using the Taliban playbook by destroying public statues and monuments while advocating for defunding law enforcement agencies, a narrator states in a video from July, as protests continued across the country. We use the funds raised from these activities to support elected officials, candidates, and organizations whose goals and values align with our own. As a result, he had a positive outlook on military and all law enforcement officers, Busse said, but he never expressed any particular interest in supporting the police through financial donations.. The union is run by a retired police detective, and it is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the countrys biggest federation of unions, which did not respond to requests for comment. Just change the state to your state and verify the charity is listed with your state attorney general's office, or another regulatory office (each state has different requirements). Oh, god, she said upon being contacted by CNN and learning how the money was spent, Im supposed to be smart, but boy was I a dope.. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. Concerns of Police Survivors. I received a call today from someone from The National Police Support Fund, who claimed to be collecting money for a drive. It wasnt the usual automated call, and hearing a human voice kept me on the line. Type of a scam Charity. If it is a scam they are awfully convincing on the phone but are also rather forceful. The group's videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. UPDATE 2020-10-29: Another new call from 585-206-3552 with a similar pre-recorded voice auto-responder identifying as 'Jeff Scott' with the National Police Support Fund. Campaign finance data, however, shows that about 98% of the money spent is not being used for this mission. Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor specializing in campaign finance and political corruption, said the fact that the super PAC had spent such a huge proportion of its contributions on its own expenses was jaw dropping and that it was equally concerning to hear that fundraisers were going after the elderly who they may consider easy marks.. A profit according to Investopedia.com is revenue that exceeds expenses. But then she started to worry, especially when she couldn't find the group listed as a charity anywhere online. Sadly, it comes down to their choice of words during a pitch; its unlawful to misrepresent how the money will be spent. Its been a tough couple years for local law enforcement. Watch out for a new "police support fund" scam. And some are outright scams. We warn against them because they come off as supportive of the Greenfield Police Department, or the local police, and yet they do not do anything for us, said police Chief Robert Haigh Jr. These tend to be monies for their own agendas, and not based on the locals. Gotten calls like this? Hope Cancer Fund The Tampa Bay Times and The Center for Investigative Reporting broke the charities up into five main categories: children, cancer, police/law enforcement, veterans, fire and other. ThePAC, organized by Zachary Bass, spent 90% of its take on fundraising, campaign filings show. The call came to Get Gephardt to investigate who exactly it is that's making those calls. 2023 Cable News Network. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. He said his father has always leaned heavily Democratic, supported President Barack Obama and previously expressed strong anti-Trump views. The filings dont show how much the groups officials are directly benefiting from the political committee it created, and it is unclear why the group deemed it necessary to create so many different aliases to use for soliciting donations. HARRISBURG Attorney General Josh Shapiro is warning Pennsylvanians to be on the lookout for bogus fundraising calls that purport to benefit the families of Martin F. Mack and Branden T. Sisca, the two fallen Pennsylvania State Police troopers tragically killed in the line of duty on I-95 South in Philadelphia. The latter is the name of the PAC I found earlier that had raised $3.2 million in contributions. Use a search engine to look for " your state + charity list ". Your email address will not be published. The websites describe his career in law enforcement and his role as the creator of the police officers safety act legislation carried by former San Diego Congressman Randy Duke Cunningham. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation (Triangle, Va.) Committee for Missing Children (Lawrenceville, Ga.) Prevent Child . Another useful fact: Organizations that file reports with the FEC have to list a treasurer. In researching the organizations, I discovered numerous similar-sounding names for PACs raising funds for police officers. I have asked 5 times to be removed from their call list, but they are still constantly calling, at this point it is harassment and it needs to STOP! If you get one of these calls, do not donate money just hang . Trade groups like those that represent the fast food or soft drink producers operate as nonprofits. One of Fotis websites solicits money for individuals who were guilty of a crime for doing their job the way they were trained to do it. As an example, he cites former Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County in Arizona. POLICING THE MOST DANGEROUS CITY IN THE COUNTRY: What do Chicago's LEO's and citizens think? Political organizations including both the Democratic and Republican parties are nonprofits. And it's very easy to catch the eye of someone.". I later learned the organization is based in Fairfax, VA, and is a political action committee, or PAC. For example, in 2019, nearly 90% of the organizations income was spent on its programming. 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. When I googled the fund, a BBB caution was the first result. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. The fund is a real nonprofit organization, but it is a political group created "primarily to influence the selection, nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates to federal, state or local public office. 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. The National Police Support Fund has a website and even a Facebook page to make them look legit, but hundreds of articles pop up from sources like the Better Business Bureau, The National Police Foundation and more warning people NOT to donate to this organization. When I asked which state this drive was for, the caller could not answer and instead said it is for a national charity. Many of these names could easily be confused with public charities, such as Autism Speaks, National Association of Police Organizations, or Veterans Assistance Foundation. We are entering the crucial last minutes of our ongoing struggle to defend police officers. The National Police Support Fund is a national coalition committed to promoting the interests of America's. In two words, its not. This all looks very peculiar, said Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School who specializes in campaign finance. The call was spoofed to appear to be from [a] Montana phone number, he wrote, noting that the caller did not identify the group as a political action committee, or super PAC, and telling his followers that it was not a nonprofit so donations are not tax deductible. The union has recently claimed to have more than 100,000 members, but the IUPA has reported around 20,000 members in tax filings. AARP Membership - LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. Similarly, the Police Coalition of America, which promises "to enact positive change and legislation that protects our citizens as well as our law enforcement," spent $530,000 on . This Florida-based union touts its federal lobbying efforts on behalf of local members. The I.U.P.A. The National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. Gas station secured small business bailout money, then paid for Trump billboards, After learning from CNN that his 92-year-old father had given $1,200 to the super PAC, Curt Busse said that the donations were made as his fathers cognitive skills declined, making him a prime target for telemarketers. In about 7 years (through March 2018), the union and relief fund spent a total of approximately $102.3 million, of which $82.3 million went towards fundraising. Im calling on behalf of the National Save the Police Fund,* the voice on the phone told me. Wow! About $1.8 million went toward the salaries of union officials, including $199,700 for Cabral, the president. Fundraising calls are allowed even if your number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. The groups videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. In the wake of tragedies large and small, they pop up like mushrooms after a rain. In fact, they count on the confusion to gather contributions. If you have been contacted via telephone and asked to make donations to the National Police Foundation in Washington, D.C., this is a scam. It spent $103,700 on behalf of House candidates about 3% of the total, and it has contributed nothing directly to veterans groups. Virginia incorporation papers show James Fotis is president of the Alliance and changed the name to the Defense Coalition. Go to their website and give there or call the number listed. Operators who are so susprised it's scam. I asked him where the money goes. The IRS has pretty broad rules for being a nonprofit organization. Individual officers can also become members, according to its website. An IRS report was filed on July 26. The VIRGINIA POLICE FUND is an advocate on behalf of law enforcement to ensure they receive adequate funding for proper training and equipment and to inform the public about the issues facing law enforcement.. Virginia's law enforcement officers are some of the best trained officers in the world, however, with the limited resources of local communities, outside professional training is . It appears their lack of transparency regarding where the money goes was the reason for the BBB caution. Soft on Crime groups are targeting record numbers of individual law enforcement officers in law suits for police brutality. The mailing scam, which was identified in a CNN article last fall and had already targeted residents in eastern states including Massachusetts and Wisconsin, asks recipients of the letter to donate $20 to an organization misleadingly calling itself the "Police Officers Support Association, PAC" according to Grass Valley Police Sgt. These Are the 9 Best Charities for Law Enforcement in 2023. The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Free online workshop! Im calling on behalf of the National Save the Police Fund,* the voice on the phone told me. This section is used to influence public opinion in support of the interests of . But these telemarketers bombarding our phone lines? @GunOwners. I told him that I had some questions for him before I would donate. Help us grow with a monthly contribution. Just want you notified that they are calling on area code 203 #s in CT now. With everything that's happening this pandemic year, people are getting more and more calls to support their local police. Below are our favorite charities for law enforcement: National Police Foundation. You read that correctly. 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. Especially after a tragedy or military-related event, fundraisers and causes show up on social media and people create crowdfunding campaigns to help those affected. A warning tonight about calls targeting people around the Tri-State asking them to help support the police. Email Blake Ellis and Melanie Hicken. The Better Business Bureau says if anyone calls or knocks asking you to help the police, the best thing you can do is ask them for information before you agree to donate. When I asked which state this drive was for, the caller could not answer and instead said it is for a national charity. I started rifling through my mail as he gave me the same exact spiel this time saying he represented United Police support fund. ', Fleeing Suspect Arrested on Trolley After Man Stabbed Multiple Times Downtown, San Diego Neo-Nazi Robert Wilson Suspected in Anne Frank House Incident, Sierra Snowpack Grows to Nearly Double Normal, Easing California Drought, Theatre Week Becomes Theatre Month Enjoy Deals As Low As $15 All Through March, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. proudly complies with state regulations and required disclosures. At the end of 2021, robocalls raising money for police groups were thehighest-volume phone messages in most major U.S. markets, according to Nomorobo, a robocall-blocking company that works with AARP on fraud prevention. Money donated to this group might be used for political purposes and will not be used for direct help to police or troopers, Fox wrote.

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