NPSF paid those four groups $1,863,361 in 2018, to do their fundraising for them. She also grew up as the daughter of a police officer in California. Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund "To Assist Those Who Protect And Serve" Donate Injury Support Support for officers injured on the job Family Assistance Support for families of officers killed in the line of duty Disaster Relief Assistance for officers affected by natural disasters Charity L.E.O.R.F. The findings of a recentinvestigation into an enterprise called the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund found that the group, along with the International Union of Police Associations (IUPA) that sponsors it, has been spending three-quarters of its operations budget on fundraising over a period of seven years. This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. You're faster than our page! An upbeat 1979 column in The San Francisco Policeman the newsletter of the citys police association heralded the newly minted IUPAs drive to unionize (the) nations 400,000 police officers. IUPA quickly signed up 51,000 members, affiliated with police forces in major cities and successfully lobbied for passage of a landmark labor law. She has two published children's books (Police Man Daddy and Police Officer Mommy, both available on www.tactical16.com). 2023 Copyright Law Enforcement Today - All Rights Reserved. ft location in Sarasota, Florida, and other expenses.. This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. I have personally received this call more times than I can count from a man claiming to be with the NPTA. We support and defend the law enforcement profession and those law enforcement officers who have devoted their lives to upholding the Constitution and serving the United States and its citizens while enforcing its laws. During 2017, more than 100 tax-exempt groups claiming to represent police officers, sheriffs deputies and state troopers reported spending more than $100,000 each on professional fundraisers, according to IRS data from federal tax returns. info@leorf.org. Its called LET Unity, and its where we share the untold stories of those patriotic Americans. In fact, there are numerous reviews and complaints regarding the NPSF on both the BBB and consumer review sites such as Yelp. This PAC raised $4.5 million from donors, and spent $4 million of that on fundraising. In just the 3rd quarter of 2018, NPSF spent over $422,000 dollars to Residential Programs for services that include carrier minutes and dialer expenses, consumer data, postage and freight, tele-fundraising, technology services, direct mail fundraising, caging and escrow and other professional fees. Federal and state enforcers announced 76 law enforcement actions against 32 fundraising companies, 22 non-profits or purported non-profits on whose behalf funds were solicited, and 31 individuals. 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. Sheriff Sally Hernandez puts illegal aliens above her own deputies. In June, a Public Integrity reporter visited the unions headquarters to ask Sam Cabral, the organizations longtime president. This Vegas telemarketer cashed in. The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates betrayals of public trust. Law Enforcement for a Safer America officials did not return repeated requests for comment. Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below. The Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund is part of the IUPA as well, and allegedly provides financial support to families of fallen officers while they wait for their full benefits to kick in. The organizations attorney, Holly E. Oliva-Van Horsten, did not respond to a follow-up email. That leaves a total revenue of $79,009. Conversely, organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police are completely up front with information such as its membership numbers (330,000 police officers according to the website) and let people know on the site that the National FOP doesnt conduct telephone solicitations. For example, the International Union of Police Associations has a D-minus rating from the Better Business Bureau for failing to respond to 15 complaints against it. by Sarah Kleiner and Chris Zubak-Skees, Center for Public Integrity December 27, 2019, This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.. Did Giving Tuesdays High Results Miss You or Include You? Unlike many other dues-funded unions, police groups which come in a variety of types, including labor organizations and associations often turn to high-priced professional fundraisers to raise on their behalf, according to a Public Integrity analysis of IRS data. No Credit: The charity did not have its audited financials prepared by an independent accountant. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website, Study and research (non-scientific) (BMF activity code: 124), Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15), Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). If you call the number, you will be connected with an answering service. The office forwarded the complaint to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which regulates charities. But a Center for Public Integrity investigation indicates most of the money it raises goes to telemarketing expenses and salaries. Despite how shady and sneaky the union and it affiliates are with obtaining more and more money, they dont do a very good job of hiding it. The IUPA itself has a D- rating from the Better Business Bureau which also provides reviews of its own fundraising tactics, complaining that the callers front with appeals for individual officers while really attempting to raise money for lobbying. The reality is, they give 0% while claiming to support law enforcement and advancing their causes. 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. 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. Pondering state reparations for tribes, a council documents history of harms, The EPA wants to broaden a ban on a deadly chemical on store shelves, Protecting peoples health in the era of global warming, How drag bans fit into larger attacks on transgender rights, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. While Yelp is not necessarily the final authority on a groups legitimacy, Simon Lewis, NPSF President felt the reviews warranted a response. When Caitlan Ackloo was a high school student in 2004, she responded to a bright orange job ad on a road sign that didnt identify the employer but promised a high hourly wage. Ever since, the group which plans to move its headquarters into a $2.6 million office building that one of its affiliates purchased in Sarasota last year continues to raise funds. The petition passed in a membership vote the following year. among only four men listed on their 2019 Form 990, their investigation of Circle of Friends for American Veterans, Sometimes a Lender or a Borrower Be: The Dos and Donts of PRIs, Funding the Impossible Dream: The Movement for Japanese American Redress, Asking the Right Person for the Right Amount, Fundraising Like a Community: Peorias Great Idea. About $5.5 million of the $8.8 million in the groups expenses that year was spent on fundraising. The problem with that is the person answering the phone cant or wont answer any questions concerning the political aspect. The websites even share layouts, color schemes, photographs, and fine print. S.O. The union raised $3.3 million from membership dues and spent nearly the same amount providing services to those members a pattern typical in the last several years. 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. Are you starting to see a pattern develop here? The companies keep most of the money they raise in the name of police officers, firefighters, injured veterans, children with leukemia, women with breast cancer and people with autism. The reporter did reach Cabral on Nov. 1, when he and other top International Union of Police Associations executives were hosting a conference at The Madison Washington DC. Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund has earned a 94% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. The culture of the organization is one that accepts complacency and allows individuals to get away with fireable offenses. COMPLETE SCAM!!! 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. The Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund is part of the IUPA as well, and allegedly provides financial support to families of fallen officers while they wait for their full benefits to kick in. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years. Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund 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. The vice president of the union, Michael Crivello, was also the founding treasurer of Law Enforcement for a Safer America. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. Legislative History: 2020, c. 11, Sched. As for the BBB, we know there are some articles out there that misrepresent our relationship with them. Two others, Courtesy Call and Donor Relations, are run by Richard Zeitlin out of Las Vegas, who was being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission as well as a Florida Grand Jury for engaging in unfair or deceptive acts or practices.. The police union and relief fund have contracted with Courtesy Call, Donor Relations and a handful of other companies owned by Las Vegas telemarketer Richard Zeitlin. 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. Want to make sure you never miss a story from Law Enforcement Today? About $82.3 million of that amount 77 percent paid for fundraising services. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) We would also like to make you aware that several other organizations may be soliciting your home for donations. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig), International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO. The Policy also applies to representatives authorized in writing to act on behalf of a serving prime minister, minister or deputy head . The AFL-CIO, with which IUPA is affiliated, did not respond to requests for comment left in voicemails, emails and a message left in person at the unions headquarters in Washington, D.C. Leah Anaya is a medically retired police officer. Charity watchdogs have much to say about Cabrals organization. Most of the money raised by the Relief Fund, specifically, is spent on professionaltelemarketerswho charge high rates to aggressively solicit money on behalf of fallen officers. One donor said her elderly mother was approached by the organization to pay a $20 pledge they claimed was made by her dead father who passed away in the mid-80s. The funds are to provide some assistance in transition of long-term recovery not to make them whole. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Use the unsubscribe link in the emails we send to opt out at any time. There are so many negative narratives regarding LE floating out there right now, this does nothing to help it. The LELDF is a great charity that provides much-needed support to law enforcement officers. 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 Fund is a 501(c) 3 non-profit charitable corporation and donations are tax deductible. to try again. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS RELIEF FUND INC SARASOTA, FL 34233-1556 | Tax-exempt since Feb. 2009 EIN: 26-3338776 Classification ( NTEE ) Emergency Assistance (Food, Clothing, Cash) (Human Services . IUPA executives are sure to make a handsome income, not least of which is the president of the IUPA, Sam Cabral, who rakes in just under $200,000 per year. Make sure you click following and then click see first so you dont miss a thing! In a letter responding to the dispute, IUPAs secretary-treasurer asked for contributions to the national unions PAC to give it a better position to obtain effective national legislation.. Ahthat amazing B+ rating from the BBB. Call us or email us and we'll respond as soon as possible. Giving back to those who protect and serve Law Enforcement Officers are always there to help others. With so much stuff happening in the world on social media, its easy for things to get lost. 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. Learn more about our criteria and methodology. All the latest Law Enforcement Today news, updates and alerts delivered straight to your phone or inbox. In October, it held its annual golf tournament in Venice, Florida. When natural disasters occur, it is common for some people to try to take advantage of survivors by posing as official disaster aid workers trying to help survivors complete their applications. Cart ID: Not Assigned, Copyright 2023 | EIN 13-4148824 | Bridge ID 3108588923. The Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund is part of the IUPA as well, and allegedly provides financial support to families of fallen officers while they wait for their full benefits to kick in. The men have also caught the attention of lawmakers and regulators. Leah is now The Business Operations Manager for the Washington State Fraternal Order of Police, active in her local WAFOP chapter, and a peer support advocate. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has earned a 72% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy. Within months, the union began contracting with three new telemarketing companies, according to tax returns. Upon receiving a form letter with no individual signing the letter, I decided to research this organization. Did a telemarketer contact you about fundraising on behalf of a charity or political action committee? Lets just make sure we are contributing to the correct sources to make that happen. This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us. Their expenditures, according to that Form 8872? Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund reported its three largest programs on its FY 2020 Form 990 as: Defending Wrongfully-Charged Law Enforcement Officers, Support of Law Enforcement Professional Associations. make sense of changing conditions and improve infra-structure in their organizations. The union did not allow Public Integrity to photograph the event, citing the need to protect the identities of active-duty law enforcement officers. (A publicly available event brochure features photographs of dozens of 2018 golf tournament attendees.). Please choose from one of the following to make your tax deductible donation to the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund. The caller tells you about how the organization is dedicated to promoting the interests of law enforcement officers. He also tells you the group is a nonprofit but may or may not quickly mention its a 527 nonprofit., The group 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 annual budget of the Relief Fund is listed at $1,793,000 and the amount paid out in grants was around $230,000, which amounts to far less than its two leaders are paid. I told him to send me something in the mail. Three of them have been negative subjects in similar investigations from Public Integrity. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). Our goal is to lessen the immediate financial hardship and provide assistance due to the result of disaster, violence or any other calamity. Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. Whats worse is the telemarketing companies IUPA used. (Readers may recall the bizarre case of Bobby Thompson, among a number of others.) There is also information for all to view on the incidents the organization has responded to and provided funds and supplies for, such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Haiti earthquake, floods, fires, and tsunamis. The IUPA and the relief fund also uses almost 80% of its donated funds to pay telemarketers to obtain even more funds. Your Name (required) Your Email (required) Subject. 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"). Why does the International Union of Police Associations contract with these telemarketers? Charities employ controversial telemarketers to tug on heartstrings and loosen purse strings, Embattled veterans political committee abruptly shuts down. 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. On behalf of the Law Enforcement Community, we would like to thank you for your continued support. Louisiana survivors of Hurricane Laura should be aware of fraud and scams and report any suspicious . Like many other states, Floridas law prohibits charities from misleading donors or misrepresenting themselves. Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund has earned a 94% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. Sign up to receive our stories. If you are in jail or hospitalized, you have 52 business days to request a review. You can see our current B+ rating.. You can request a review if your legal aid application was refused. Every penny they have spent are itemized as operating expenses. The man wanted me to pledge a large $ donation. In this quarter, they contributed $968,951 to themselves. We would like to look into this matter further, but we would need some additional information from you so we can see who called you and when so we can investigate it more in depth. Others they use are The Fundraising Group, Grassroots Fund Group, LLC, and United Support LLC. What do other people say? The IUPA has several red flags of its own, according to Public Integrity, as well as other sources. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. From roughly 2011 to March 2018, the union and the relief fund spent about $106.3 million, according to annual tax returns filed with the IRS. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years. Its difficult to obtain much information about the NPTA online, but what is easy to discover is the skeeziness and illegitimacy of the donation requests. IUPA hasnt always relied so heavily on telemarketers to raise funds. Apparently it is not. This leaves very little to be spent on political advocacy, which is, after all, the actual purpose of a PAC to begin with. The fund is one of several organizations related to the International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO, itself a nonprofit based in Sarasota, Florida, that represents local chapters of police unions across the country. About $4 million of that paid for fundraising and related expenses. Annually, we put together a golf classic to benefit the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund. The pushy caller didnt want to take no for an answer, so I had to get a little more firm with him. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Cameron and Cabral took a meeting with none other than Donald Trump in November, where they endorsed him. Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place. So, even if NPSF gave all $79,009 that it claimed as income for 2018 to law enforcement charities or actually spent it lobbying in favor of the men and women who strive to keep us safe, they would only be 3.87%, which is roughly 5% of what they bring in. $10,000 to a Florida-based organization that helps handicapped children and a $10,000 to a golf sponsorship for the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund . 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. Its called LET Unity, and its where we share the untold stories of those patriotic Americans. About $4 million of that paid for fundraising and related expenses. 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. 1 (1) In this Act, "county" means a county or district described in section 151 of the Courts of Justice Act; ("comt") It can sometimes take weeks to put together the necessary paperwork to collect the benefits officers and their families have earned and deserve. The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. This is a peculiar brand of charity specializing in exploiting the publics concern for those they depend upon in a crisis. The Center for Public Integrity, which covered this story, also did an expos on another similar operation in 2017 in their investigation of Circle of Friends for American Veterans, which ran out of one mans apartment in Falls Church, Virginia and also includes a PAC. It turns out, I am not the only person who has had to do this. This leaves very little to be spent on political advocacy, which is, after all, the actual purpose of a PAC to begin with. The solution, the letter says, is clear: Give our law enforcement officers the crime prevention tools they need. Support independent journalism and knowledge creation for civil society. The Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund is there immediately to support our public safety officers in their greatest time of need, Cabral wrote in a recent fundraising document. ft location in Sarasota, Florida, and other expenses.. Ackloo, who is now 30 years old and works in New York City, was hired. Ackloo and others raised $6 million for the union that year; the group brought in another $3 million in membership dues. The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). 2023 Copyright Law Enforcement Today - All Rights Reserved. A diversion of assets any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity.

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