is national police support fund legit

Some telemarketers who claim to be raising money for causes like homeless veterans and cancer victims work for political action committees , not charities, and keep much of the money they raise. Below are a few tips for screening for legitimate charities. President Trump pardoned the sheriff even after the Department of Justice described Arpaio as being responsible for the worst case of racial profiling in U.S. history. I started rifling through my mail as he gave me the same exact spiel this time saying he represented United Police support fund. Only one replied directly: 90 percent went to fundraising, and 10 percent went to police support. I later learned the organization is based in Fairfax, VA, and is a political action committee, or PAC. Type of a scam Charity. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. What should we investigate next? He said that although it is more expensive for super PACs to solicit small donations which is what this one is doing spending so much on operations and so little on political activities is unusual. 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. The calls asking for donations come from aliases like the Police Officers Support Association and The National Coalition for Police & Troopers. First Responders Children's Foundation. It spent $103,700 on behalf of House candidates about 3% of the total, and it has contributed nothing directly to veterans groups. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. Simple: less scrutiny. Now, the last thing I want to do is discourage you from giving to causes you care about, like supporting police. According to the complaint, DPSF conned people into donating more than $9.9 million. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. The Greenfield, Massachusetts, police department warned about the group last year as well. Our movement is comprised of tens of thousands of Americans from all walks of life who are joined together by their common respect for the rule of law and united in their support for the police officers who put their lives on the line every day in their communities. Learn how vehicle tech like blind spot warnings and drowsy driving alerts can help make driving safer. So, the next time you get this call, hang up. We are just passing along the information if you get a suspicious call asking for money for police officers.. Another useful fact: Organizations that file reports with the FEC have to list a treasurer. If they are PACs, the fundraising effort is politically motivated and wont necessarily support San Diego-area officers or deputies or their families. See the metrics below for more information. Also Check: How To File A Police Report For Id Theft, You May Like: How Do Police Deal With Homeless. Operators who are so susprised it's scam. I told him that I had some questions for him before I would donate. 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. Quoting from its website, the Committee for Police Officers Defense is a 527 Committee designed to seek out radical prosecutors, judges and district attorneys. Another organization is named on the website as well The Police Officers Defense Coalition. In fact, as Ive previously , supporting law enforcement and supporting reform movements such as Black Lives Matter are not mutually exclusive. Here are some things you can do to avoid donating to a fake charity: Pay attention to the charity's name. 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. Also Check: Do You Have To Pay For A Police Report. "As Pennsylvanians look to support [] The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. I also learned that they were sued in the biggest FTC case in history. 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. This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. You May Like: Do You Need A Degree To Become A Police Officer. I got a call from them saying it was the time of year to start up the donation drive, and the phone operator tries his best to kay in with a guilt trip to get you to "donate." American Association of State Troopers claims to support retired state troopers. Email us: watchdog@cnn.com. JW August is a San Diego-based broadcast and digital journalist. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. : r/Scams. How a donation will be used, or how much of the donation actually goes to the charitys programs. Years later, as the success of the . 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. I recently took about a dozen of these police-support calls to hear the pitches. By choosing the . The man on the other end of the phone is asking for money for the protection of police officers. The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The first thing I noticed was that I wasnt talking to live people; the answers all sounded scripted and recorded. Charity hustles work the same way. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. I've asked them repeatedly to stop calling this typically results in additional calls back to back from different numbers. 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 . I recently took about a dozen of these police-support calls to hear the pitches. Required fields are marked *. That link will take you to Illinois, where I live. So I would like to say just beware of scammers , Ive copied the letter I received so in hopes that people will know not to donate unless you are 109% sure it not a scam. Government documents show that the founding treasurer is currently an executive at the International Union of Police Associations. 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. The answer is that, in many cases, these arent charities at all. They count on local press coverage and a quick website. And the Morton Police Department in Illinois posted on Facebook about calls from a mysterious phone number with a local area code last year. We are entering the crucial last minutes of our ongoing struggle to defend police officers. Here are a few ideas to help you give safely: Con artists refer to what they do as a hustle. 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. I asked them to mail me a bill instead and they did , I called the phone number on the letter and did not get a respond so I decided to go to their website . You read that correctly. 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.. Not authorized by any candidate or . (Santa Rosa, Calf.) Read Also: What Are The Steps To Becoming A Police Officer. 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. Andy Cottam is among the many who received the call. Law Enforcement for a Safer America officials did not return repeated requests for comment. 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. Our grassroots organization was formed under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, which allows us to engage in political activity. Read Also: Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, 2021 KnowYourPolice.net All Rights Reserved. These charities usually rake in a few thousand dollars and disappear. This organization spends the vast majority of its donations on children. We strive to engage the public through political grassroots activity to support political interests that promote officer's interests. This includes marketing and outreach to supporters and communities, grassroots political efforts, and digital marketing efforts. The organization also has a Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. ThePAC, organized by Zachary Bass, spent 90% of its take on fundraising, campaign filings show. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Campaign finance data, however, shows that about 98% of the money spent is not being used for this mission. . What should we investigate next? For the record, on their website, it never calls itself a charity or non . 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. This comes at a time when some community activists have been calling for "defunding" the police. The scenario is all too familiar. We support police officers who risk their lives daily protecting our communities. Here is the BBB caution: https://www.bbb.org/stlouis/news-events/bbb-warnings/2017/national-police-support-fund/, https://www.bbb.org/stlouis/news-events/bbb-warnings/2017/national-police-support-fund/. Your email address will not be published. AARP Membership LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. nationalpolice.org. 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. 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. A donation of $10, $15 or $25 would help keep . I did not feel comfortable giving the information over the phone . Another telemarketing employee reached by CNN in the Philippines confirmed this, saying he solicited money on behalf of the super PAC and the IUPA using audio recordings of someone who sounded like they were actually calling from America, and that most of the people they reached were elderly adding he felt it was a scam because they didnt realize what they were actually donating to. Terms & conditions/privacy policy apply https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com/terms-of-service/, Contributions to the National Police Support Fund are not tax deductible. He of course provided a non-reassuring answer with no defence when the jig was up, and ended the call. Sara Kemerer of the . 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. Read Also: How Do You Know If The Police Are Investigating You. The vast majority of donations since 2019 were under $200, meaning the funds came from tens of thousands of donors. Here are the Top 7 Amazon scam calls. AARP Membership - LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. For example, a very well known and respected group is the Make a Wish Foundation. Eagerly he asked if I was comfortable with that amount. 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. he transferred me to check my address. After further investigation, they are not approved by the better business bureau and they have nothing but horrible reviews . We found a website for them, but it gives very little information about the organization and their mission. It was raising money using four different police-oriented names (one association, two coalitions and one support fund). On its donate page, the NPA boasts of its work to preserve the American way of life and fight back against cop-haters. Instead, theyre independent, expenditure-only political action committees, or super PACs. He was super pushy trying to get me to donate for 75,95, 105 dollars. Virginia incorporation papers show James Fotis is president of the Alliance and changed the name to the Defense Coalition. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. Can the police officers count on you?. Simple web searches can show that the 'charitable organization' calling either 1 . Getting 3 to 5 calls a day from 315-410-0874 phone number. 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. 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. Also in Massachusetts, a Wilmington police officer received a call soliciting donations. Wow! Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. Tax records show the Fotis organization that phoned me raised $75,000 in 2021, up from $50,000 the year before. I said no i was told I would be sent a pledge form. Msg&data rates may apply. Three other IUPA executives earned more than $100,000 apiece during fiscal 2017-2018. 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. Fundraising calls are allowed even if your number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. . An image from Law Enforcement For A Safer America PAC's Facebook page. 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.. 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. Bass, who set up several other super PACs, declined to comment. The fund is the third in a series of outrageous attempts by founders David Dierks and Phil LeConte to extort money from generous Americans under the pretext of donations to the nation's police forces. Why does this matter? The website soliciting funds for Arpaio says, Liberals have targeted Sheriff Joe Arpaio with a multi-million dollar lawsuit because he was upholding the law of the land. But as I learned, these callers are masters at evading any such disclosure. 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.. The Police Unity Tour was founded in 1997 by Patrick Montuore, a police officer from New Jersey. 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. National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. by Michelle Diament, April 2008. IRS reports show that in 2011 alone, executive director Ken Howles drew an $87000 salary of the little money left over, only around 9-14% made its way into the hands of the troopers. Promoting divisive rhetoric is detrimental to the public safety mission that requires any genuine law enforcement organization to be accountable to its constituents. 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. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. The National Police Support Fund is a legitimate organization that supports the interests of America's law enforcement officers. 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. Busse said he and his sister took over their fathers finances last year. Local organizations that raise money on behalf of San Diego law enforcement include: Star/Pal for San Diego Police, which provides educational and recreational services for inner-city youth, and the San Diego County Deputy Sheriffs Foundation, which provides support services for sheriffs personnel and families. But the groups file financial disclosures with federal regulators under only a handful of names. Learn about the latest anti-police movement, Download our 2022 police ballot measures analysis, Download our 2022 law enforcement support guide, Virginia Election Ad by National Police Support Fund, Pro-Police Organizations Worked Together to Get Out the Vote & Boosts Conservative Turnout in NoVa, https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com/terms-of-service/. As an example, he cites former Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County in Arizona. At the end of 2021, robocalls raising money for police groups were the highest-volume phone messages in most major U.S. markets, according to Nomorobo, a robocall-blocking company that works with AARP on fraud prevention. 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! I said I do not donate over the phone, he said I did not need to they would mail me a pledge kit. Go to their website and give there or call the number listed. It wasnt the usual automated call, and hearing a human voice kept me on the line. Post has been removed or is no longer public. Instead, theyre independent, expenditure-only political action committees, or super PACs. Our Police, Firefighters, and all First Responders do need our support. We highly encourage our followers to verify who they are making donations to when contacted for fundraisers.. The National Police Association advocates Support the Police, and Back the Blue, because Blue Lives Matter. It also transferred $30,000 to another pro-police super PAC that the union operates, based on the officers listed on its filings. Contributions are not tax deductible. "So I really want to support the police for what they do.". To find out more about these organizations, I probed the FEC website, where super PACs report their activity.