generic photos, there is no real content validating that they do anything to actually support the police. People are receiving phone scam calls asking for donations to help out local police departments or slain and wounded police offers. The super PAC said on Facebook in September that it had placed this billboard in multiple locations throughout Wisconsin and that more would be coming. For example, in the tax year that ended March 2018, the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund gave 11 families an average of $6,545 apiece. The solution, the letter says, is clear: Give our law enforcement officers the crime prevention tools they need. Our officers deserve our respect and support, the Super PACs website reads. This all looks very peculiar, said Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School who specializes in campaign finance. What they do: The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League aims to minimize juvenile crime through outreach programs that pair officers with youth. 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. Pearl S Buck International's stated purpose is to provide opportunities to explore and appreciate other cultures, build better lives for children around the globe and promote the legacy of our founder by preserving and interpreting her National Historic Landmark home. A warning tonight about a phone and mail scam asking for donations. It turns out Police and Fire Retirees of Ohio is a legitimate non profit lobbying group, though it is not a charity under IRS rules. I asked him where the money goes. 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. . Msg&data rates may apply. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. Contributions are not tax deductible. FEC filings show that of the group's minimal political spending, most has gone toward pro-Trump advertising such as billboards. The charitys programs focus primarily on education, mentorship, and athletic activities that empower youth. During the pandemic, a plethora of fraudulent websites came out like a plague. Read Also: Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, 2021 KnowYourPolice.net When I googled the fund, a BBB caution was the first result. For anyone interested in supporting law enforcement, experts say, think local. 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. We support police officers who risk their lives daily protecting our communities. 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. And soon, you say, sure, why not? But the groups file financial disclosures with federal regulators under only a handful of names. Of those who gave more than $200, which are required to be disclosed to the federal government, roughly 80% were retirees, according to an analysis of the data. 4. BREAKING The House just voted to block Biden's woke ESG rule, which would let Wall Street use your retirement savings to fund left-wing political causes. That is equivalent to 2.7 percent of the $2.7 million the organization raised from donors that year, according to its federal tax return. Watch out for a new "police support fund" scam. 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 some are outright scams. 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. AiThority Interview with Lori Anne, Director of Product Development & Management at Verizon, Branded Caller ID: The Pros And Cons In The Battle Against Phone Scams, A New Scam Is Making the Rounds Just in Time for Tax Season, Smishing: The new year is here and so are new scams. In a nationwide, federal-state crackdown on fraudulent telemarketers claiming to help police, firefighters, and veterans, the Federal Trade Commission, together with 61 Attorneys General, Secretaries of State, and other law enforcers of 49 states and the District of Columbia, today announced Operation False Charity. To promote the prevention of juvenile crime and violence by building relationships among kids, cops and community through positive engagement. One of the more successful scams is when the scammer poses as one of many charities benefitting Law Enforcement. On its donate page, the NPA boasts of its work to preserve the American way of life and fight back against cop-haters. A 5 On Your Side viewer got one of those calls recently, asking him to support the National Police and Troopers Association.But before saying yes, he called us to ask if it was legit. One woman received a call from the . Leaving politics aside for a minute, how do you know if those calls are legitimate? It said callers were soliciting support for police officers but that the group was actually connected to a political action committee. But almost no one was helped. The caller said he was phoning on behalf of the Committee for Police Officers Defense. proudly complies with state regulations and required disclosures. The funds raised during their 4-day long ride are donated directly to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. If you get one of these calls, do not donate money just hang . The National Police Support Fund. National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. Contributions made to National Police Support Fund are not tax-deductible. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. 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. Absolutely no legitimate law enforcement backed organization would stoop to this level of begging for money. nationalpolice.org. National Police Support Fund is dedicated to providing a united voice for true Americans who support our nation's law enforcement officers. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. For more information, please refer to the IRS definition of Political Organization. He never would have given money to any group if he knew that some of that money was going to pro-Trump campaign ads, said Busse. The case has not yet been resolved. This comes at a time when some community activists have been calling for "defunding" the police. Cookie Notice 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. 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.. Another charity that should come with a "donator, beware" sign is the Police Protection Fund. And the Morton Police Department in Illinois posted on Facebook about calls from a mysterious phone number with a local area code last year. POLICING THE MOST DANGEROUS CITY IN THE COUNTRY: What do Chicago's LEO's and citizens think? But other charities lie about what they do with donations or how much they spend on programs. 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. 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.. 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 . First Responders Children's Foundation. This would allow me a chance to talk to your wife about considering further contributions. Now, the last thing I want to do is discourage you from giving to causes you care about, like supporting police. ThePAC, organized by Zachary Bass, spent 90% of its take on fundraising, campaign filings show. Super PACs are able to raise unlimited amounts of money, which they can use to advocate for political candidates or causes. This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. Instead, theyre independent, expenditure-only political action committees, or super PACs. 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 National Police Support Fund is neither a 501(c)3 nor a 501(c)4 organization, but rather a political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. Alexandria, VA. National Police Support Fund and United Police Fund came together this November to urge Northern Virginians to get out the vote in, National Police Support Fund, Inc.Office/Mailing Address:2800 Eisenhower Drive Suite 220Alexandria, VA 22314, Donation Processing Center:PO Box 26248Alexandria, VA 22313-2648, Phone: (571) 364-6520Email: info@nationalpolicesupportfund.com, By providing your phone number, you are consenting to receive calls and SMS/MMS msgs, including autodialed and automated calls and texts using prerecorded voice, to that number from the National Police Support Fund. Lots of different special interest groups are nonprofits, including some private businesses that pay their executives quite well. The first thing I noticed was that I wasnt talking to live people; the answers all sounded scripted and recorded. Privacy Policy. Below are our favorite charities for law enforcement: National Police Foundation. Bass, who set up several other super PACs, declined to comment. Please reload the page and try again. After I rejected he offered some booster donations of 15,25, 35 dollars to Goodwill or other organizations. The Police Unity Tour was founded in 1997 by Patrick Montuore, a police officer from New Jersey. 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. 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. I asked him if the organization supports Donald Trump. Getting 3 to 5 calls a day from 315-410-0874 phone number. Also worth noting is that while his organization is based in Virginia, and gets its mail in Stafford, TX, Fotis lives in Lake Worth, FL. This person spoke broken english and told me to donate using credit card. Videos on Law Enforcement for a Safer America's website show cities in flames and say that officers have been injured during what the group describes as riots. I came across ScamPulse.com warning people about donating to the NPSF . Wendy Beckman got a call the other day from a man asking her to help retired police and firefighters. On 11/4 another local call came it was the same man! Montana Attorney General Tim Fox posted on Facebook last year about a call he received from Roy on behalf of the National Coalition for Police and Troopers. 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. 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. It appears their lack of transparency regarding where the money goes was the reason for the BBB caution. Ways to contribute: You can contribute to the Police Unity Tour by donating through their website. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Trump billboards along a desert stretch of highway near the border of California and Arizona were paid for by a small business that received a federal loan. Its made up of series of regular steps timed to the beat of the music that can be improvised as needed. Even if you like the idea, how do you know the call is legitimate? "Being that it was a recording right off the bat . He said his father served in the Navy for nearly two decades and was always proud of his service. "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. I should have been more aware that it sounded fishy and of course just saw the ScamPulse.com warning. Go to their website and give there or call the number listed. The union has previously come under fire for hiring allegedly deceptive telemarketers and costly fundraising efforts that benefited its own organization and a police charity it operates. I received a call today from someone from The National Police Support Fund, who claimed to be collecting money for a drive. 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. . Individual officers can also become members, according to its website. If you are still not sure if your money is really going to the cause, call your local police or fire department and ask how you can donate to them. 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. She had noticed the term PAC on receipts she received in the mail but thought that meant the charities were working together and had a pact to support the police cause she believed in. Up until the latest tax year when the groups appear to have changed how they categorize certain expenditures the pattern was largely the same from year to year: A small number of families received a couple thousand dollars apiece top employees of the union received more than $100,000 apiece and tens of millions went to telemarketers. Clint Bates. Around 200 consumer complaints have also been made to state and federal regulators about the super PAC, its aliases and related groups. I did satisfy my rather small donation at their website https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com . The man on the other end of the phone is asking for money for the protection of police officers. 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. 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. 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. . 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.
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