Contributions made to National Police Support Fund are not tax-deductible. National Police Support Fund is a grassroots political organization that is committed to aligning the interests and needs of police officers with the publics issues and concerns within the national political process. Asking for donations to the National Police Support Fund. The answer is that, in many cases, these arent charities at all. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. JW August is a San Diego-based broadcast and digital journalist. It also transferred $30,000 to another pro-police super PAC that the union operates, based on the officers listed on its filings. After I rejected he offered some booster donations of 15,25, 35 dollars to Goodwill or other organizations. The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. 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. Another useful fact: Organizations that file reports with the FEC have to list a treasurer. Last month the National Police Association (NPA) filed an ethics complaint against Rachael Rollins, the new district attorney for Suffolk County, Massachusetts (who recently . They are the tragi-charities. . The National Policing Institute, a national, Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization dedicated to advancing policing through science and innovation, has received information from several individuals who have been contacted by solicitors asking for donations in support of the "National Policing Institute," or in some cases the "National Police Fund," which we are not affiliated . I told him I did not have any money to donate at the moment. The safest way to donate on social media or crowdfunding campaign is to give to people you actually know. The cause sounds worthy: Please support your local firefighters (or police officers), the caller implores. 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. A: The National Police Support Fund is a grassroots nonprofit political organization founded in 2017 under Section 527 of the IRS tax code. again. The fundraisers connection to the charity. It spent $103,700 on behalf of House candidates about 3% of the total, and it has contributed nothing directly to veterans groups. It said callers were soliciting support for police officers but that the group was actually connected to a political action committee. Registration with any of these state agencies does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by any state. The organization began as a service program providing mentorship and outreach activities to youth as a way to combat juvenile crime. A union receptionist also confirmed to CNN that the super PAC is run by the union, but union leaders did not respond to repeated calls, voicemails and emails that laid out the concerns from other police departments and donors and asked why so little of the $10 million raised went toward political activities. He of course provided a non-reassuring answer with no defence when the jig was up, and ended the call. Each organization says it is spending money for police officers being abused and unfairly targeted. Ways to contribute: You can contribute to the Police Unity Tour by donating through their website. by Michelle Diament, April 2008. I later learned the organization is based in Fairfax, VA, and is a political action committee, or PAC. Filed Jan. 29, 2020, 3:45 p.m. GMT. It appears their lack of transparency regarding where the money goes was the reason for the BBB caution. After further investigation, they are not approved by the better business bureau and they have nothing but horrible reviews . It was raising money using four different police-oriented names (one "association," two "coalitions" and one "support fund"). Kids Wish Network, however, spends only 3 cents of every dollar collected on kids. . He was donating to anyone who asked him for money, he said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. But these telemarketers bombarding our phone lines? We are entering the crucial last minutes of our ongoing struggle to defend police officers. On each call, my questions about how donations got spent mostly went unanswered. nationalpolice.org. Multiple attempted calls from one number. 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. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription toAARP The Magazine. National Police Support Fund representatives have been phoning potential donors in the St. Louis area over the past several weeks, including the wife of a retired police officer who said she . Ask for information, check sites like Charitynavigator.org and then if it all checks out, write that check. Eagerly he asked if I was comfortable with that amount. I've asked them repeatedly to stop calling this typically results in additional calls back to back from different numbers. This was up from roughly $1 million raised by the group, which was founded in June 2018, in the last six months of the prior election cycle. 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. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. 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). CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 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. Go to their website and give there or call the number listed. 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. Legitimate charities can be checked on websites such as www.guidestar.org. Ask if the donation is tax-deductible. The I.U.P.A. Another charity that should come with a "donator, beware" sign is the Police Protection Fund. Learn how vehicle tech like blind spot warnings and drowsy driving alerts can help make driving safer. We support police officers who risk their lives daily protecting our communities. National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues. Ive become suspicious after reading what they had to say . The scripts were designed to give the impression that they were helping out officers versus lobbying efforts, he said, adding that the political affiliation was only fully disclosed when someone proactively asked where the money would be going. While there are no requirements dictating the percentage of money that must go toward political activities, campaign finance expert Rob Pyers has dubbed the group a Scam PAC because of its high operating expenses and negligible political spending. Simple: less scrutiny. A Warner Bros. 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. If they are PACs, the fundraising effort is politically motivated and wont necessarily support San Diego-area officers or deputies or their families. Many charities that help first responders like police officers and firefighters veterans, and active duty military, or their families, pay fundraisers to call donors or potential donors. It also concerned him that so many prospects were elderly. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. 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. So what happened to the other approximately 33% of . Msg&data rates may apply. An employee who said he previously worked for two companies that raised money for Law Enforcement for a Safer America said that at his more recent job, callers were instructed not to disclose that they were calling on behalf of a super PAC. Watch out for a new "police support fund" scam. Javascript must be enabled to use this site. The Wilmington Police Department has no association with this organization and we have never even heard of them, stated a May release from the department. 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. Also Check: Do You Have To Pay For A Police Report. "Being that it was a recording right off the bat . 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. 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. Discovery Company. 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 . How to report a scammer? He gave a range of donations to be made . Type of a scam Charity. Here are the Top 7 Amazon scam calls. As we stated earlier, these 50 charities account for almost $1 Billion in donations. He could not answer. With the generous support of readers like you, Times of San Diego publishes timely and accurate news coverage for a better-informed community. 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. 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. For more information, please refer to the IRS definition of Political Organization. 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items. The Committee for Police Officers Defense, the telemarketers who called me, applied for tax exemption in California. 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. The I.U.P.A. Law Enforcement for a Safer America has raked in nearly $10 million in donations from January 2019 to June 2020 . But whats the truth. The National Police Support Fund. But whats the truth. Most of the money raised went to telemarketing 87 percent and other expenses. 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. These charities usually rake in a few thousand dollars and disappear. She verified my information and repeatedly asked me to promise to mail it back as soon as I received it. For anyone interested in supporting law enforcement, experts say, think local. Help us grow with a monthly contribution. But almost no one was helped. I asked him where the money goes. But the groups file financial disclosures with federal regulators under only a handful of names. Key battles deserve tight alliances. Police Protection Fund. 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 . With everything that's happening this pandemic year, people are getting more and more calls to support their local police. Cookie Notice He said his father served in the Navy for nearly two decades and was always proud of his service. The NPAs immigration proposalAuthorizing local law enforcement officers to perform federal immigration law enforcement functionsis based on fear-mongering and a clear recipe for abuse and division. Multiple voices could be heard in the background. Andy Cottam is among the many who received the call. In fact, they count on the confusion to gather contributions. The source of the funding information was OpenSecrets, a database that tracks spending in U.S. politics run by the Center for Responsive Politics. Whoops! Entire local police unions, which negotiate collective bargaining agreements for their members, can choose to affiliate with the group. The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its been a tough couple years for local law enforcement. The rule of law is being eroded in our communities, and we need true Americans to stand up and join voices in support of the public servants who keep us safe. 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. This includes marketing and outreach to supporters and communities, grassroots political efforts, and digital marketing efforts. American Association of State Troopers claims to support retired state troopers. In researching the organizations, I discovered numerous similar-sounding names for PACs raising funds for police officers. He initially solicited $95 and eventually said he would accept a $15 contribution as an offer of goodwill on my part. Some tips for consumers: Listen carefully for the name of the organization. Law Enforcement for a Safer America officials did not return repeated requests for comment. Only one replied directly: 90 percent went to fundraising, and 10 percent went to police support. A warning tonight about a phone and mail scam asking for donations. 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. 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. Getting 3 to 5 calls a day from 315-410-0874 phone number. Tax records show the Fotis organization that phoned me raised $75,000 in 2021, up from $50,000 the year before. On its donate page, the NPA boasts of its work to preserve the American way of life and fight back against cop-haters. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. 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. 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. Unless you want your money to go toward lawsuits , take my advice and find another charity to support although preferably one on another list to this one. We highly encourage our followers to verify who they are making donations to when contacted for fundraisers.. Up to June 2020, only 2% of the groups spending went toward political activities mainly for advertisements supporting President Donald Trumps reelection, according to data filed with the FEC. So, the next time you get this call, hang up. "I got burned a couple of years ago when I found out another charity I was contributing to was not a real charity, so I thought I should probably check this one out," Beckman said. 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. Dont send your money to a national group collecting for causes that may not always be clear. Continuously redirected to the toll free number provided which cut out each time it was listed. 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. For more information, please see our It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. They count on local press coverage and a quick website. It wasnt the usual automated call, and hearing a human voice kept me on the line. I quickly identified over 70 super PACs with police or law enforcement in their names. 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. 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. The charitys programs focus primarily on education, mentorship, and athletic activities that empower youth. The organization began as a service program providing mentorship and outreach activities to youth as a way to combat juvenile crime. Woman suspicious after calls to help police. "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. AARP Membership - LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. The man on the other end of the phone is asking for money for the protection of police officers. With this in mind, the midterm election saw a new partnership between us, the National Police Support Fund, and the. . Individual officers can also become members, according to its website. Read Also: How Do You Know If The Police Are Investigating You. 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 . The Greenfield, Massachusetts, police department warned about the group last year as well.
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