The Vanceburg Police Department is warning of a questionable fundraising letter recently mailed to several Vanceburg residents.
Assistant Chief Joe Billman said the letter claims to be from the National Police Association in Stafford, Texas, and asks for donations to add the recipient’s name “along with the names of other Vanceburg residents to the Quality of Life Policing Petition that will be presented to Vanceburg City Council Members.”
Billman said the letter is an apparent effort to solicit donations that will not benefit the Vanceburg Police Department. A disclaimer on the letter states that “Donations are used where the need is greatest.”
The National Police Association is listed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization but has a Zero-Star Rating from the Charity Navigator which ranks more than 225,000 charities nationwide.
The letter states, “Vanceburg City Council Members need to hear from you!”
The solicitation letter further states that “Your City Council Members likely approve your police budget and also give the police in Vanceburg their marching orders so your City Council can either keep your neighborhoods clean and safe or do what many big city politicians are doing – bowing to anti-law enforcement pressure and ordering their police to stop quality of life policing.”
The letter urges recipients to check a box to add their name to a petition that will be presented to members of Vanceburg City Council; explain to friends and neighbors how groups are trying to abolish quality of life policing and why it’s important to maintain cleanliness and order in our neighborhoods because disorder in any neighborhood creates a sense of fear and invites crime; and send a donation.
Suggested donation amounts range from $15 to $1,000.
Billman says if citizens donate money to the National Police Association, they should be aware that the group is not funding any program administered by the Vanceburg Police Department.
“I don’t know where the donations go or what the National Police Association actually does, but it doesn’t benefit the Vanceburg Police Department,” said Billman. “If we are looking for donations for our various projects, our officers personally ask.”
Local projects for which Vanceburg Police Officers solicit contributions include Christmas Cops and Vanceburg Fireworks.
Billman adds the letter is confusing and misleading, and urges everyone to personally investigate any request for donations before deciding to send any money.
“There are many legitimate charities,” he said. “There are also plenty that are not legitimate.”
The letter sent to Vanceburg residents includes a statement that those wishing to “obtain a refund of your donation to National Police Association, simply send a photo-copy of both the front and back of your cancelled donation check made out to National Police Association to our headquarters address and a refund will be issued immediately.”
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