Robocallers have apparently been using the name of a former Abilene City Councilman/Abilene businessman to try to entice people to give to a fake police charity. The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. When Fox asked the caller to send him literature about making a donation in the mail, the representative instead repeatedly pressed for his credit card information, Fox said. The Rank of the website you are interested in is: 51.8 Questionable. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. Indeed, the Federal Election Commission has said it is all but powerless to crack down on scam PACs. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organizations overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned. (Less), POLICE OFFICERS DEFENSE COALITION INC cannot be evaluated by our Culture & Community methodology because it is not a 501(c)(3) IRS registered nonprofit, POLICE OFFICERS DEFENSE COALITION INC cannot be evaluated by our Leadership & Adaptability methodology because it is not a 501(c)(3) IRS registered nonprofit, The Giving Basket is having some issues. Callers often use intimidation tactics or try to make you feel guilty about not supporting their cause. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. 00:03 10:05. Most of the money raised went to telemarketing 87 percent and other expenses. American Police Officers Alliance is a grassroots tax exempt political organization formed in 2017 to support police issues in the political process. FEC regulations state that political committees can only deposit a contribution into their account if that money came from a solicitation which expressly states that the contribution will be used in connection with a Federal election or the solicitation discloses that contributions are subject to federal election law. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Since all political action committees must register with the Federal Election Commission, we checked . Our organization works within the political process to defend strong police leadership and interests in our nation's cities and work to elect officials who will stand up for our police force. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. According to John Riggins, president of Abilene's Better Business Bureau, the robocaller is using the name of Steve Savage to collect money for a national police officers fund.. According to a state police news release, troopers at Alpena Post recently received a call from a concerned citizen who reported receiving a phone call from a man claiming to be a chief of a law enforcement department, who wanted to speak to the call recipient about making a contribution to the Fraternal Order of Police in Alpena as part of a fundraising effort. In February, the FTC asked the U.S. district court in Nevada to force Donor Relations LLC and Zeitlin to cooperate with its civil investigation, after the parties failed to comply with some deadlines, according to court records. The Police Foundation does NOT solicit donations from anyone via phone. Block the numbersvia your phone, or call your service provider to learn how they can help with blocking robocalls. The call was spoofed to appear to be from 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. Fox said his office has received several complaints about the group and has opened an investigation. All seven of the PACs paid businesses listing the same address as Donor Relations LLC in a Las Vegas strip mall and spent most of their money there, FEC spending records show. Find the latest reporting on U.S. and world investigations. Berns is among three names that show up in National Police Association documents and correspondence whose official roles with the organization could not be verified by IndyStar. National Police Defense Foundation reported its three largest programs on its FY 2020 Form 990 as: National Police Defense Foundation cannot currently be evaluated by our Culture & Community methodology because we have not received data from the charity regarding its Constituent Feedback or Equity Practices strategies.Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization. We also encourage you to require donation information to be sent to you via U.S. Mail before considering any donation. He was a patrol officer for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department from 2014 through 2019. Contenido. Instead, the money makes its way to a new nonprofit based in Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Star reports. An additional $4.8 million has gone to pay the charity's founder and . In an interview, Piaro said the high fundraising costs will help his PACs get off the ground. THE POLICE OFFICER DEFENSE FUND INC. "THE PODF" A Nonprofit Charitable 501(c)(3) 2515 West Whitaker Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53221 1-414-282-6720 Most of the money from Dierks PACs, though, flowed through the Charleston Boulevard building. The BBB of Wisconsin says Rogers is not alone, and many of the complaints theyve gotten have centered around the Police Officer Defense Alliance. But the groups file financial disclosures with federal regulators under only a handful of names. They have succeeded in raising millions of dollars from small donors in a matter of months and spent most of it just as quickly, without supporting political candidates or making a mark on a policy issue. The Committee for Police Officers' Defense (CPOD) The "Committee for Police Officer's Defense" (CPOD) was configured in order to complete an intrinsic goal. Here are tips to prevent robocalls, Riggins said. 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. <25 Employees . By Angie Ward. The National Police Association is a SCAM. Police Officer Defense Fund Inc. cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors. That goal is to help police officers fight back against the nation wide "War on Cops" by taking a varied political stance against politicians, activist judges, prosecutors, district attorneys, and a host of other parties who actively try to bring police officers down by any means at their disposal. 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. CA License # A-588676-HAZ / DIR Contractor Registration #1000009744 Most of the PACs have already burned through far more money. NATIONAL CENTER FOR POLICE DEFENSE INC. FAIRFAX, VA 22030-5160 | Tax-exempt since Sept. 2015. An associated political action committee, Law Enforcement for a Safer America, raised $4.5 million from donors across the country from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019. When POLITICO contacted Donor Relations to ask about its fundraising practices, an attorney representing the company and its president denied that Donor Relations had done any work for PACs. Please note that the Police Officers Support Association has not responded to the BBBs requests for basic, general information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. The Committee for Police Officers Defense, the telemarketers who called me, applied for tax exemption in California. Jim Temmer, President and CEO of the Wisconsin BBB says this is pretty standard When you use a telemarketer, even if its not a scam and they are employed by the charity, they can keep 70-80-even-90 percent of your donation, Temmer said. Berns did not respond to three IndyStar phone calls and one voicemail seeking comment. CBS58 obtained data from the Federal Election Commission, which regulates PACs. The NPDF provides free medical support services to law enforcement personnel regarding job related illnesses and disabilities. See www.bbb.org for more information about the Abilene BBB, which serves a 13-county service area in the Big Country. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. They said they provide legal defense for police who are going through legal proceedings, Lewis said. The most recent filing shows that between January through the end of June, the PAC brought in. If you believe it is a legitimate organization collecting money, advise the caller you will be contacting the local organization, or in this case the local police department to confirm their fundraising efforts. Partial Credit: There has been a diversion of assets within the last two years and the charity has used Schedule O on the Form 990 to explain: the nature of the diversion, the amount of money or property involved and the corrective action taken to address the matter. Presented here are up to five of this organization's highest compensated employees. Letters like these have been circulating in Manhattan. The call came to Get Gephardt to investigate who exactly it is that's making those calls. After she went into a coma, I started answering all the phone calls, he said. In this situation, we deduct 7 points from the charity's Accountability and Transparency score. Courtesy Call eventually reached a settlement agreement with the state, including a $30,000 fine. 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. Per the Police Officers Support Association website, it is a Political Action Committee and states, The PAC advocates for legislative efforts to improve the safety and wellness of Law Enforcement Officers. Its press releases include a contact for Adam Colton, a name that has appeared on statements relating to Hutchisons businesses dating back to at least 2003, when he was listed as a media contact in a press release announcing the monthly winner of a USA Dream Girl model search. Police remind residents to never verify or give any personal information such as your full name, social security number, credit card information, or any banking information unless you initiated the original call. If you have been the victim of a telephone scam you are able to file a complaint with the FBI, by going to www.iC3.gov. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. A donation of $10, $15 or $25 would help keep communities like Trenton safe. There is no record of Donor Relations or any other business at that address doing federal political work before 2017, according to the FEC. uihlein manitowish waters; sebastian tillinger wikipedia; harry potter fanfiction harry injured after the battle; can hemorrhoids be treated during colonoscopy Andy Cottam is among the many who received the call. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. In some cases, the charity has a name that includes a law enforcement word . Police Officers' Defense Coalition and Committee for Police Officers' Defense is committed to cleaning up the annals of justice by flushing out those who pretend to represent the people, but instead manipulate the system and the prosecute police officers as a stepping stone to their next higher political office. There are plenty of variations on this scam, but one that is making the rounds in the Wichita area currently identifies itself as being from the Fraternal Order of Police . National Center for Police Defense, Inc. is a non-profit, pro-law enforcement organization that helps protect you from the system that you protect and serve, at your time of crisis. Please do your homework and avoid scams and misleading appeals for your hard-earned money. Officer Misael Parra with the LVMPD Office of Public Information says Pollack separated from the department earlier this year, and declined further comment. This needs to stop. Fulfill your pledge by clicking the Contribute Now Button below! words that have to do with clay P.O. The website was created on July 19, 2018 and the registrant is private. Representatives of National Assistance Committee, whose website says it does business under other names, including the National Veterans Committee and the National Firefighters Committee, also did not respond to multiple requests for comment. CSLEA Legal Defense Fund Office2600 River Plaza Drive #250Sacramento, California 95833. BBB recommends that consumers check with the BBBs charity arm, Give.org, before donating to any charity or organization. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years. The Police Officers' Defense Coalition was developed in consort with the Committee for Police Officers' Defense in order to help police officers, public safety officers, sheriffs, and all those who represent the law enforcement community fight against the "War on C ops". All content Copyright 2023 WDJT. BBB Wise Giving Alliance produces evaluative reports on charities based on 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability that address four charity areas: governance, results reporting, finances, and truthful and transparent communications. Access National Center for Police Defense, Inc.s, 2020 Financial Reports and Public Filings HERE, Case File: Officers Thomas Lane, Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thau- Minneapolis, MN Found Guilty & Working on Appeal. National Center for Police Defense, Inc. is a non-profit, pro-law enforcement organization that helps protect police officers, sheriffs, peace officers, federal agents and first responders, including our military from the system that they protect and serve, during their time of crisis. According to reverse checking, the company's address 6650 W. State St. in Wauwatosa, WI is a UPS store. Recommended Reading: How Many Hours To Become A Police Officer. Black Lives Matter supporters tried to kill Sgt. But in April, the seven new PACs disclosed spending $3.9 million with Donor Relations LLC and other vendors at the same address, according to FEC spending records. Back the Badge is an elite group of NCPD donors dedicated to protecting law enforcement officers, first responders, and members of the military and passing down our precious freedoms to future generations. Simply enter the organization's name (National Police Defense Foundation) or EIN (133830191) in the 'Search Term' field. In this case, we deduct 7 points from the charity's Accountability and Transparency score. As an example, he cites former Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County in Arizona. I was getting 3, 4, 5 calls a day, he said. Complaints to the Better Business Bureau about pushy telemarketers and deceptive mailers are coming in from all over the country. As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. The survey found an increase in "high trust" for 12 out of 13 charity categories, and the highest openness to solicitation we have observed in five years. National Assistance Committee has paid $370,000 to businesses at Charleston Boulevard for services related to IT, compliance consulting and data. Before late 2017, no businesses at that address 1835 E. Charleston Blvd. It shows that in 2019, PODA raised more than $2.4M, but listed almost $2.3M in expenses, those expenses include large payments to telemarketers. We meet regularly with elected Congressmen and Senators to improve both police officer safety and the safety and security in our communities. They call late in the evening and on weekends. Sara Kemerer of the. RCPD says its a scam and that money raised by this organization doesnt actually go to any local law enforcement initiatives. IndyStar could not find records for anyone with Coltons or Musungus names who might have a role with the National Police Association. The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. Political Action Committees are perfectly legal, but a number of people like Charlie Lewis, who sent in a complaint to the BBB, say the phone calls they get represent PODA as a charity. The Committee for Police Officer's Defense works diligently to bring awareness to the fact that when these anti-police officials seek to regain public office, remain seated on the bench, or hold office- they create a dangerous environment for our upstanding men and women in blue. Registration with any of these state agencies does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by any state. One of the groups expensive fundraising practices caught the attention of Montana Attorney General Tim Fox, who received a call in January from Americans for Police and Trooper Safety, asking for donations to help police. (BMF affiliation code: 3). to try again. Until recently, the National Police Association listed a treasurer named Arnold Musungu, whose name is also spelled as Munsungu in some filings. Hes always got something going like that, Berns told The Sun. Please refresh the page The telephone number listed on the company's website, 800-758-9503 is disconnected as of October 26, 2020. WE HAVE PROMOTED LEGISLATION THAT PROTECTS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM FRIVOLOUS CIVIL LAWSUITS AND RAISES THE PENALTY FOR KILLING A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL IN ANY WAY, FROM POURING WATER ON THEM TO PELTING THEM WITH STONES ON THE STREET. Website www.committeeforpoliceofficersdefense.com Industry/Niche Police Officers *Is this the right industry? Email: info@committeeforpoliceofficersdefense.com . Read Also: What Are The Steps To Becoming A Police Officer. The "Committee for Police Officers Defense" is a 527 (section of IRS code) organization. Controversial. Paid for by Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC, an independent expenditure-only committee, www.leoforasaferamerica.org and not authorized by any candidate committee. While several recordings uploaded online show that some callers have briefly mentioned the term PAC or have said that the group is supporting efforts to elect lawmakers to advocate for certain issues, the Montana attorney general wasnt the only person to say the group hadnt identified itself as required. Part of their complaint is that it looked like a bill or invoice. If you want to make a donation to help police, call the non-emergency line or email your local department, they will be happy to guide you to charities that support them. They do state their aims. Their activities highlight an unpleasant truth: Political groups often receive less oversight and get more leeway than charities, even though they have to disclose more details about their donations and spending. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalistswith adigital subscription to ReporterNews.com. But Donor Relations and its president, Richard Zeitlin, were already under investigation for actions while fundraising for charities. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. THE POLICE OFFICERS' DEFENSE COALITION WORKS TO BRIDGE THE GAP AND BUILD A MOVEMENT MADE UP OF CIVILIANS, ACTIVE, AND RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, AND POLITICIANS TO PROTECT THE MEN AND WOMEN IN Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting, Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website, Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website. Police Officers Support Association PAC is not a charity and therefore contributions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions. POLICE OFFICERS DEFENSE COALITION INC cannot be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because it is not a 501(c)(3) IRS registered nonprofit. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Not printed at government expense. All Rights Reserved. This ratio is an indicator of an organizations solvency and or long term sustainability. Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. No Credit: There has been a diversion of assets within the last two years and the charity's explanation on Schedule O is either non-existent or not sufficient. Piaro said he left that charity when it lost its contract with the federal government. But we found that the money isnt going to stay in Wisconsin, its headed to Las Vegas. A web of new political action committees raised nearly $6 million in recent months under the guise of supporting police, veterans and cancer research. According to its website, the Police Officer Defense Alliance is a Non-Partisan . I was contacted by phone on Feb 25, 2020 from a person from the American Police Officers Alliance and asked for a donation of several choices such as $35.00 which is the lowest amount mentioned. Per the Police Officers Support Association website, it is a Political Action Committee and states, The PAC advocates for . Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible. 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. The call, from phone number 207-705-5419, appears to be a recording and requests donations on behalf of officers injured or killed in the line of duty. These organizations also supply givers with greater confidence by maintaining broad public support for their programs. The seven new PACs identified by POLITICO dont reference specific candidates, instead embracing popular-sounding causes: Americans for Police and Trooper Safety; Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer; Association for Emergency Responders and Firefighters PAC, Inc.; Cops and Kids Together; National Assistance Committee; Standing by Veterans PAC, Inc.; and US Veterans Assistance Foundation. With our homeless veterans, a lot of them have drug and alcohol issues. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website, All organizations except 501(c)(3) (BMF foundation code: 00), Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). Fairfax, VAcommitteeforpoliceofficersdefense.comJoined March 2021 216Following 67Followers Tweets Tweets & replies Media Likes (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. We provide many forms of support in the midst of an on-duty catastrophe. The FTC was probing whether telemarketers made false or deceptive representations during fundraising calls, and whether the telemarketers illegally used prerecorded soundboarding calls to solicit funds. The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). Piaro said his PACs will support legislation on these causes by helping them with contributions for mailers, billboards, or anything like that, and he plans to start spending $200,000 to $300,000 on political activity once the groups have raised sufficient funds and do a sustained push during the 2020 election. The Veterans Assistance Foundation leased a Veterans Affairs dormitory to house homeless veterans in Tomah, Wisconsin. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting. Time and time again we hear about people losing thousands of dollars to phone scams. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. The callers use several names for the alleged charity, such as State Troopers Coalition, S.T.C. 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. Please note that many legitimate local police foundations and organizations may solicit donations from local communities via telephone and mail. "A call to Mr. Savage and review of his Facebook page revealed he has no association with this robocalling group or groups," Riggins said in a news release. 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. Another disclosure locates Button Pusher Productions at the home of Jacob Parsons, who bought a house in Palm Springs from Dierks, according to LexisNexis property records. The commission, she said, has come to the conclusion that [it] didnt have authority to actually go after the PACs that are essentially paying their administrators.. The person that I talked to made no mention of this being a political organization or any kind of advocacy organization that was going to spend money on politics or policy. (Less). Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.