Please refresh the page (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Subscribe to NPQ's newsletters to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. The association is listed as affiliated with the International Union of Police Associations (IUPA). Is the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund a legitimate charity? Its called LET Unity, and its where we share the untold stories of those patriotic Americans. Would you be willing to send us an email at [emailprotected] so we can we learn more about your experience? Are you starting to see a pattern develop here? 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. About $4 million of that paid for fundraising and related expenses. Lets just make sure we are contributing to the correct sources to make that happen. Support independent journalism and knowledge creation for civil society. For example, Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) The funding we are providing today to Pro Bono Ontario will help to ensure that individuals who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace can get the legal assistance they need through a free legal advice hotline. 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 for a Safer America officials did not return repeated requests for comment. The solution, the letter says, is clear: Give our law enforcement officers the crime prevention tools they need. 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 petition passed in a membership vote the following year. All the latest Law Enforcement Today news, updates and alerts delivered straight to your phone or inbox. Would a legitimate operation have such an inappropriate message prompt? 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. Do your homework when deciding who to contribute to. Overview: Founded in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) is dedicated to telling the story of U.S. law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. Sincerely, The FOP has a Disaster Relief Fund which does have information for donations (it asks donors to text (615) 640-1317, and states contributions ARE tax deductible). The rest is a split between employees salary and benefits, buildings maintenance for its 10,000 sq. If you ask him about the difference between the 527 and 501 nonprofit status, or how much of their donations go to local law enforcement, he will tell you to call 866-487-4515. This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. The Tampa Bay Times in 2014 put the union on its list of organizations that spend little on the causes they champion. Subscribe to the NPQ newsletter to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. Lewis responded: We are sorry you had a negative experience with our fundraiser on the phone! This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. The Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund is there immediately to support our public safety officers in their greatest time of need. Three other IUPA executives earned more than $100,000 apiece during fiscal 2017-2018. NPSF is not the ones making the calls. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. No: This charity either does not have a written donor privacy policy in place to protect their contributors' personal information, or the existing policy does not meet our criteria. Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties, Audited Financial Statements Listed on Website. The organization has had huge and very public stalls on a major project yet senior management continues to point fingers externally rather than evaluate their part in the matter. 2023 Copyright Law Enforcement Today - All Rights Reserved. Public Integrity doesnt have paywalls and doesnt accept advertising so that our investigative reporting can have the widest possible impact on addressing inequality in the U.S. Our work is possible thanks to support from people like you. The IUPA and the relief fund also uses almost 80% of its donated funds to pay telemarketers to obtain even more funds. She was assigned to work as a telemarketer in the unions phone room, which she described as a high-pressure environment with lots of turnover. Unfortunately, these people are not the only ones who are taking advantage of the soft spot some people have for our law enforcement community. We hosted our most recent event at the beautiful Sarasota National Golf Club in Venice, Florida. UPDATE: Manhunt Underway For Shooter Accused Of Killing 5 Neighbors Gone Cold, Spec Ops Veteran Turned Musician Releases Highly Anticipated New Single, Dan Clor of AWF Is On A Grand Scale Mission To Solve The Military Recruiting Crisis, Community Support Grows For Louisville Officer Still In Critical Condition After Shooting. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. Scam attempts can be made over the phone, by mail or email, text or in person. This PAC raised $4.5 million from donors, and spent $4 million of that on fundraising. The Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund is there immediately to support our public safety officers in their greatest time of need. Are the NPTA and IUPA (each are connected with the powerful AFL-CIO Union) legitimate charitable organizations? Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned. For example, Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) Every penny they have spent are itemized as operating expenses. The reality is, they give 0% while claiming to support law enforcement and advancing their causes. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has earned a 72% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. and family members of the law enforcement community.". Did a telemarketer contact you about fundraising on behalf of a charity or political action committee? This is the type of information that should be transparent so people know the organizations theyre donating to is properly using their hard earned dollars. IUPA hasnt always relied so heavily on telemarketers to raise funds. They have been contacted by the BBB and have not cooperated. 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. loading and try your donation again. It is beyond disgusting that such a prominent and wealthy union group designed to assist our law enforcement communities and their families would see so little of that money going to those who need it. $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 . Police officers and their families most definitely need and deserve to be supported when tragedy strikes. What did they spend all their money on? The contributor in question lists an address of 2331 Mill Road, Suite 100, Alexandria, VA. Ironically, that is the same address of the group filing the 8872, NPSF. Granted, 11 families received a total of $72,000, and some of it (about $25,000, or $2,500 per person) went towards law enforcement student tuition and scholarships. These include two FTC actions against alleged sham non-profits and the telemarketers who made deceptive claims about these so-called charities. This has sometimes caused police officials to in an odd twist warn the public about groups that say theyre raising money for police. 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. How to Facilitate and Engage in Healthy Decision-making Processes. In this case, we deduct 15 points from the charity's Accountability and Transparency score. Did you know that LET has a private home for those who support emergency responders and veterans? 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. (BMF affiliation code: 3). As a matter of fact, many people have taken to the Better Business Bureau, Yelp, Youtube, Charity Navigator, and local news outlets to report their disapproval and concerns of the NPTA. Numerous sources list NPTA as a scam, and a recent report from the Center for Public Integrity (which is a self-described nonprofit newsroom that investigates betrayals of public trust) reveals just how much of a scam it really is. Zeitlins attorney previously told Public Integrity his companies are not fundraising for the PACs. How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially: More finances are needed due to the higher case loads. The rest is a split between employees salary and benefits, buildings maintenance for its 10,000 sq. Legislative History: 2020, c. 11, Sched. Like many other states, Floridas law prohibits charities from misleading donors or misrepresenting themselves. She also grew up as the daughter of a police officer in California. The Fund is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit charitable corporation and donations are tax deductible. Most of the money raised went to telemarketing 87 percent and other expenses. One, Outreach Calling, is run by Mark Gelvan, who has been banned in New York from conducting fundraisers due to his solicitors impersonating police officers. 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 vice president of the union, Michael Crivello, was also the founding treasurer of Law Enforcement for a Safer America. We support and defend the law enforcement profession and those law enforcement officers who have devoted their lives to up (More)Our mission is benevolent and educational. Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. So what happened to the other approximately 33% of that money? You can see our current B+ rating.. I was suspicious of the call from the very beginning. At the time of this writing, the relief funds website was no longer functioning. NPSF paid those four groups $1,863,361 in 2018, to do their fundraising for them. Your Name (required) Your Email (required) Subject. UPDATE: Manhunt Underway For Shooter Accused Of Killing 5 Neighbors Gone Cold, Spec Ops Veteran Turned Musician Releases Highly Anticipated New Single, Dan Clor of AWF Is On A Grand Scale Mission To Solve The Military Recruiting Crisis, Community Support Grows For Louisville Officer Still In Critical Condition After Shooting. Cameron and Cabral took a meeting with none other than Donald Trump in November, where they endorsed him. If the problem persists contact us. 2560 HUNTINGTON AVEAlexandria VA 22303-1447, AlexandriaVA | IRS ruling year: 1980 | EIN: 52-1095066, Our mission is benevolent and educational. Ruth is Editor Emerita of the Nonprofit Quarterly. Whats worse is the telemarketing companies IUPA used. Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic: When our simulator program came to a halt, we were able to create an online version of this called Decision Points. Everything I have found on this organization is negative! 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. organizations that spend little on the causes they champion. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. There are so many negative narratives regarding LE floating out there right now, this does nothing to help it. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria. The Federal Trade Commission was investigating whether Zeitlins Courtesy Call and Donor Relations companies were engaging in unfair or deceptive acts or practices, but the agency dropped the matter in the fall of 2018, citing an ongoing grand jury investigation in Florida involving the two companies. Their expenditures, according to that Form 8872? In this case, we deduct 15 points from the charity's Accountability and Transparency score. 1 (1) In this Act, "county" means a county or district described in section 151 of the Courts of Justice Act; ("comt") Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund cannot currently be evaluated by our Leadership & Adaptability methodology because we have not received data from the charity regarding its leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes.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. In the tax year that ended in March 2019, the union shifted gears. Sarasota, FL 34233. The [Florida Highway Patrol] Command Officers Association would like to thank you for your interest in our organization, one group warns on its website. Within months, the union began contracting with three new telemarketing companies, according to tax returns. The union holds an annual golf tournament in Venice, Florida, and come September 2020 will host its 22nd international convention in Key West Florida, at the Waldorf Astorias Casa Marina, where attendees will enjoy 1,100 feet of private beach area. Your local Law Enforcement Officers face disasters every day and are the first on the scene to protect and save lives - often while risking their own. Issued: N/A; Expires: N/A; Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund, Inc. Not Evaluated. Before that, she was an intelligence analyst in the US Army. The Giving Basket is having some issues. See the metrics below for more information. About $4 million of that paid for fundraising and related expenses. Check it out today. Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund has earned a 94% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. Leah Anaya is a medically retired police officer. The two are among only four men listed on their 2019 Form 990 in the area listing directors, officers, and trustees. The LELDF is also a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance, and it has an A+ rating from the BBB. 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. Best Items to Donate to an Animal Shelter, Donors Prefer Charities that Earn All Four Beacons. One of their many other fundraisers is New Jersey-based Outreach Calling, which has ties to beleaguered telemarketer Mark Gelvan. As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. But the unions 2018 tax return said it represents about 23,200 union members, down from 50,400 in 2006. 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. In fact, they use them for just about everything they need except banking, legal services and travel. 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. When I refused to give him the credit information, he became irritated and transferred my call to another man. (Readers may recall the bizarre case of Bobby Thompson, among a number of others.) The IUPA has several red flags of its own, according to Public Integrity, as well as other sources. Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund Inc. has earned a 60% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. 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.. Charity watchdogs have much to say about Cabrals organization. Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. Officers pay tribute to fallen officers at National Police Week. They reported contributions in the amount of $703,307. AOCs Tax the Rich Dress Dazzles Met Gala, while Foundation Giving Numbers for 2020 Show 15 Percent Increase, Strike MoMA Imagines Art Museums without Billionaires. 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. The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). He owns a technology and security consulting firm and is a proud to be a native Texan. Our goal is to lessen the immediate financial hardship and provide assistance due to the result of disaster, violence or any other calamity. If you wish to donate, please refresh the page. TheCenter for Public Integrityis a nonprofit investigative news organization focused on inequality in the U.S. We do not accept advertising or charge people to read our work. If you call the number, you will be connected with an answering service. 6. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. The first thing I noticed was that I wasn't talking to live people; the answers all sounded scripted . The percentage each beacon contributes to the organizations overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned. Do your homework when deciding who to contribute to. IRS compliance information is also located directly on the page. 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. (Firstnet.gov), Your phone rings. Cart ID: Not Assigned, Copyright 2023 | EIN 13-4148824 | Bridge ID 3108588923. 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. Police officers and their families most definitely need and deserve to be supported when tragedy strikes. This is the type of information that should be transparent so people know the organizations theyre donating to is properly using their hard earned dollars. 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. Lets just make sure we are contributing to the correct sources to make that happen. Consolidation Period: From July 8, 2020 to the e-Laws currency date. Partial Credit: The charity's audited financials were prepared by an independent accountant, but it did not have an audit oversight committee. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. Instead, it goes for salaries and expenses, and very little goes for our unified voice in Washington, he wrote. On behalf of the Law Enforcement Community, we would like to thank you for your continued support. Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund has earned a 94% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. In this case, we deduct 7 points from the charity's Accountability and Transparency score. A donation of $10, $15 or $25 would help keep . At the time of this writing, the relief funds website was no longer functioning. Bills. Franais. 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. Together, the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund and the International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO, have spent about $82.3 million 77 percent of their operating expenditures on fundraising services from around 2011 to March 2018, according to a Public Integrity analysis of annual tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue . Other names to beware of in association with the IUPA are the Police Officers Support Association and the National Emergency Responders Coalition, but now that Public Integrity has published their report, it would be wise to do extensive research into the organizations that you choose to donate to where claims of supporting law enforcement lie. In this situation, we deduct 7 points from the charity's Accountability and Transparency score. The office forwarded the complaint to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which regulates charities. The Form 990 that the Fund filed for 2018 show that they received $2,036,625 in revenue, and $1,957,616 in expenditures. Another familiar aspect of the case is its connection to political candidates. In this quarter, they contributed $772,716 to themselves. The donated money went to causes including scholarships for people wanting degrees in law enforcement, the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund in Sarasota, Florida and the Concerns of Police . Total Revenue and Expenses - Data Available, IRS Published Data (Business Master File) - Data Available, Data Sources (IRS Forms 990) - Data Available, How to Donate Food and Prevent Food Waste. Apparently it is not. Most of the money the nonprofit charity raises winds up with telemarketers paid to solicit donors. Learn more about our criteria and methodology. This leaves very little to be spent on political advocacy, which is, after all, the actual purpose of a PAC to begin with. Their 2nd quarter filing showed that they spent $1,014,037 with only $972,145 coming in. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years. He also doesnt tell you that none of the donations collected actually go to financially support local law enforcement. 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. The Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund is a nonprofit charity that says it provides "specialized relief when, tragically, a law enforcement officer is killed in the line-of-duty." But a Center for Public Integrity investigation indicates most of the money it raises goes to telemarketing expenses and salaries. Also affiliated with the union is a political action committee, Law Enforcement for a Safer America. Ahthat amazing B+ rating from the BBB. With so much stuff happening in the world on social media, its easy for things to get lost. 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. The pushy caller didnt want to take no for an answer, so I had to get a little more firm with him. In recent letters to members of Congress supporting certain bills, Cabral said IUPA now represents more than 100,000 rank and file law enforcement officers, or roughly one out of every eight in the U.S.
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