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 . 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. Filed Jan. 29, 2020, 3:45 p.m. GMT. @GunOwners. If you want to donate money for your police or fire department, send your contribution to the local sheriff or chiefs directly. Entire local police unions, which negotiate collective bargaining agreements for their members, can choose to affiliate with the group. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The answer is that, in many cases, these arent charities at all. 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. The National Police Association is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization, IRS NTEE classification code B01, Alliance/Advocacy Organizations, within the Educational . nationalpolicesupportfund.com Review - Scam Detector ', 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. But almost no one was helped. POLICING THE MOST DANGEROUS CITY IN THE COUNTRY: What do Chicago's LEO's and citizens think? 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. Each organization says it is spending money for police officers being abused and unfairly targeted. On 11/4 another local call came it was the same man! National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues. Campaign finance data, however, shows that about 98% of the money spent is not being used for this mission. To promote the prevention of juvenile crime and violence by building relationships among kids, cops and community through positive engagement. Lots of different special interest groups are nonprofits, including some private businesses that pay their executives quite well. Find out now: How much do I need to save for retirement? When I asked which state this drive was for, the caller could not answer and instead said it is for a national charity. 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. See the metrics below for more information. Sara Kemerer of the Cincinnati BBB says you should look them up at the bureau's website, www.bbb.org, or at Charity Navigator.org, or Guidestar.org. Best and Worst Charities for Your Donations - Consumer Reports 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. She verified my information and repeatedly asked me to promise to mail it back as soon as I received it. Whether the website is from the same sector as nationalpolicesupportfund.com or not, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission. 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. But whats the truth. 2. Just as you sit down to dinner, the phone rings and the caller asks for a donation. The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police is a real organization, but protect yourself and ask questions when you receive calls like these. 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. We support police officers who risk their lives daily protecting our communities. 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. Most of the money raised went to telemarketing 87 percent and other expenses. Contributions are not tax deductible. 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. Your email address will not be published. The result: a rise in super PACs that use sympathetic-sounding causes primarily to line their own pockets (the FEC has called this subset scam PACs). The cause sounds worthy: Please support your local firefighters (or police officers), the caller implores. Can the police officers count on you?. This section is used to influence public opinion in support of the interests of . Recommended Reading: How To Become A Desk Police Officer, Also Check: Can Police Help Me Unlock My Car. Read Also: Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, 2021 KnowYourPolice.net There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Their impact and transparency ratings: The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League has an Accountability and Transparency score of 92 out of 100 from Charity Navigator. 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. 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. The National Police Association advocates Support the Police, and Back the Blue, because Blue Lives Matter. Gotten calls like this? 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. 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. He could not answer. Another charity that should come with a "donator, beware" sign is the Police Protection Fund. When I googled the fund, a BBB caution was the first result. If it is a scam they are awfully convincing on the phone but are also rather forceful. The Greenfield, Massachusetts, police department warned about the group last year as well. 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.. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. 'Scam PACs' Are On the Rise: Don't Confuse Them for Legitimate 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. The matter now heads to the Senate, where the disapproval resolution may pass if every Republican plus rebellious Democratic Senator Joe Manchin (W.Va.) support the effort. Msg&data rates may apply. Charity Navigator - Rating for National Police Association Inc. National Police Support Fund What should we investigate next? 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. To find out more about these organizations, I probed the FEC website, where super PACs report their activity. 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. While some donors believe they are donating to . National Police Grassroots Organization Releases 2022 Law Enforcement National Police Support Fund - Grassroots Support for Police How to report a scammer? Below are our favorite charities for law enforcement: National Police Foundation. As Smarter Giving notes, what is actually supports is the bank balances of its chief executives. Unable to verify the federal tax ID, redirected to a toll-free number. Gifts to actual charities are donations to PACs, which sometimes sound like charities, are not. Never disclose personal information. Or follow the simplest rule: Never give to anyone over the phone, said Margot Saunders, senior counsel for the National Consumer Law Center. When I asked which state this drive was for, the caller could not answer and instead said it is for a national charity. 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. The organization also participates in advocacy work to emphasize some of the dangers law enforcement officers face, and the sacrifices they make to protect society. So have we all. Government documents show that the founding treasurer is currently an executive at the International Union of Police Associations. Being a generous person, she agreed to mail them $50. One woman received a call from the . Below are a few tips for screening for legitimate charities. 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. "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. 2019 - The South African Department of Employment & Labour Disclaimer PAIA I found a few small line items labeled legislative services, but none that appeared to go directly to supporting police. The group's videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. Consumer Protection. I again was transferred to another person who wanted my credit card info and stated due to covid they wanted to decrease handling and credit cards was the best way to donate. The man on the other end of the phone is asking for money for the protection of police officers. Find Best Charities To Donate | Charity Ratings, Reviews The first thing I noticed was that I wasnt talking to live people; the answers all sounded scripted and recorded. Three other IUPA executives earned more than $100,000 apiece during fiscal 2017-2018. The organization also has a Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. Hispanic Federation (New York City) Abandoned Children's Fund. He was donating to anyone who asked him for money, he said. Read Also: What Are The Best Police Boots, Read Also: How Do I Become A K9 Police Officer. Watch out for a new "police support fund" scam - FourStatesHomepage.com Home - LEORF A donation of $10, $15 or $25 would help keep . 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. 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. 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. 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. I told him I did not have any money to donate at the moment. 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. They do disclose, however, that of the nearly $10 million raised, the super PAC gave more money back to the union roughly $350,000 for office, operational and overhead expenses than the $173,500 it spent on political activities between January 2019 and June 2020. A warning tonight about a phone and mail scam asking for donations. I asked if the donation was tax-deductible and he said no but could not elaborate as to why that was. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. 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. It was raising money using four different police-oriented names (one association, two coalitions and one support fund). See the metrics below for more information. and our Law enforcement has a tough enough job without having to put up with charlatans masquerading as heroes. Help us grow with a monthly contribution. National Association of Police Athletics/Activities League. And that is likely the point. Registration with any of these state agencies does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by any state. They are the tragi-charities. : r/Scams. 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 . Years later, as the success of the . Only one replied directly: 90 percent went to fundraising, and 10 percent went to police support. But these telemarketers bombarding our phone lines? So what happened to the other approximately 33% of . The result: a rise in super PACs that use sympathetic-sounding causes primarily to line their own pockets (the FEC has called this subset scam PACs). Are the money-gathering techniques these scam PACs use illegal? Get a FREE subscription to AARP The Magazine. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Police association scam calls: Don't fall for it, says Bob Ziegelbauer I received a phone call asking me to donate to National Police Support Fund I was going to give them my debit card number over the phone but changed my mind at the last moment. I recently took about a dozen of these police-support calls to hear the pitches. And Law Enforcement for a Safer America appears to be cashing in. Many legitimate charities support local firefighters and police, active duty military, and veterans, or their families. Get Gephardt Investigates: Who is the 'Police Alliance' and why are National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. Each organization says it is spending money for police officers being abused and unfairly targeted. The fundraisers connection to the charity. "So I really want to support the police for what they do.". 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 . During the pandemic, a plethora of fraudulent websites came out like a plague. 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.