Why does this matter? Each organization says it is spending money for police officers being abused and unfairly targeted. Some tips for consumers: Listen carefully for the name of the organization. Concerns of Police Survivors. 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. Tax records show the Fotis organization that phoned me raised $75,000 in 2021, up from $50,000 the year before. Key battles deserve tight alliances. Once it was blocked through my service provider, an additional phone number began to call my home multiple times a day. and our Required fields are marked *. 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. A donation of $10, $15 or $25 would help keep . 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. Many donors say they believed they were supporting a charity that helps local officers. I asked if the donation was tax-deductible and he said no but could not elaborate as to why that was. If you require additional information, then call us 1-800-247-4872 or email us at: 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 5), donations are not tax deductible pursuant to IRC 170(c. A copy of our latest financial report may be obtained by writing to: The International Union of Police Associations, 5632 Bee Ridge Road, Suite 200 Sarasota, FL . He gave a range of donations to be made . It was found that only 2.7% of donations to the relief fund actually went to the families of fallen officers. Getting 3 to 5 calls a day from 315-410-0874 phone number. Post has been removed or is no longer public. These are Americas heroes. Videos on its site show cities in flames and say that officers have been injured during what the group describes as riots presumably referring to recent Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd. Simple: less scrutiny. Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. In the wake of tragedies large and small, they pop up like mushrooms after a rain. I looked up one called Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC, which seemed to be especially active, based on Nomorobos monitoring. Phony Firefighters Scam. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. The National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. 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. January 11, 2019. appreciated. She remembers news stories two years ago, about 67-year-old Jerry Hinkle, a Cincinnati man who raised thousands of dollars for the Shop with a Cop program, then admitted in court that he spent it on personal expenses (the case ended with a plea agreement). The first thing I noticed was that I wasnt talking to live people; the answers all sounded scripted and recorded. ThePAC, organized by Zachary Bass, spent 90% of its take on fundraising, campaign filings show. 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). 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. While some donors believe they are donating to . Woman suspicious after calls to help police. The IRS has pretty broad rules for being a nonprofit organization. The BBB said days later, the New Jersey State Police photo had been removed from the site. This section is used to influence public opinion in support of the interests of . 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. I started rifling through my mail as he gave me the same exact spiel this time saying he represented United Police support fund. The funds raised during their 4-day long ride are donated directly to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. 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. Each organization says it is spending money for police officers being abused and unfairly targeted. In researching the organizations, I discovered numerous similar-sounding names for PACs raising funds for police officers. Hispanic Federation (New York City) Abandoned Children's Fund. I told him that there is no such thing as a National Police Trust Fund. Recommended Reading: How Many Hours To Become A Police Officer, Read Also: What Education Do I Need To Be A Police Officer. It said callers were soliciting support for police officers but that the group was actually connected to a political action committee. The man on the other end of the phone is asking for money for the protection of police officers. Please do your homework and avoid scams and misleading appeals for your hard-earned money.. Sadly, it comes down to their choice of words during a pitch; its unlawful to misrepresent how the money will be spent. These Are the 9 Best Charities for Law Enforcement in 2023. The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police is a real organization, but protect yourself and ask questions when you receive calls like these. An IRS report was filed on July 26. But whats the truth. Below are our favorite charities for law enforcement: National Police Foundation. The organization began as a service program providing mentorship and outreach activities to youth as a way to combat juvenile crime. Here are the Top 7 Amazon scam calls. 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.. For the record, on their website, it never calls itself a charity or non . Our Police, Firefighters, and all First Responders do need our support. And it's very easy to catch the eye of someone.". This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. 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. Follow John on Instagram @johnmataresemoney, For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com. The safest way to donate on social media or crowdfunding campaign is to give to people you actually know. FEC filings show that of the group's minimal political spending, most has gone toward pro-Trump advertising such as billboards. Its made up of series of regular steps timed to the beat of the music that can be improvised as needed. In fact, former employees of these types of fundraisers have testified about how they used soundboard technology to play prerecorded messages as responses, in part so they could talk to several donors at once. Not authorized by any candidate or . Multiple attempted calls from one number. Wow! With this in mind, the midterm election saw a new partnership between us, the National Police Support Fund, and the. What should we investigate next? For more information, please refer to the IRS definition of Political Organization. National Association of Police Athletics/Activities League. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 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 . @GunOwners. . nationalpolice.org. 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. Javascript must be enabled to use this site. 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. He could not answer. All Rights Reserved. The Police Officers Defense Alliance, for example, raised $3.2 million in 2020, and The American Police Officers Alliance raised $4.3 million. So, the next time you get this call, hang up. 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. And some are outright scams. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. But their website and solicitations are designed to look and sound like Make a Wish. This organization spends the vast majority of its donations on children. Simple: less scrutiny. 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. Privacy Policy. That way, you avoid all of . Wendy Beckman got a call the other day from a man asking her to help retired police and firefighters. The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. Even if you like the idea, how do you know the call is legitimate? 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. Asking for donations to the National Police Support Fund.