Fraternal Order of Police...Who are they? What do they do? Should I support them?

Factual Questions
1

Okay, so I have this dilemna…Yesterday, the NY State Fraternal Order of Police call. They are soliciting donations, basically taking pledges. They ask for $25 or $35 dollars in return for which I will get a NYS FOP bumper sticker and tell me how this will go to support good things like their public awareness campaign on drunk driving and another thing that I can’t remember. Sounds nice, but I feel a little leery so I say I really can’t. Then he says he understands and they have a special level of $10 and one still gets the packet with bumper sticker…How about that? I give in and say “yes”. Even if it’s not the most worthwhile charity, $10…what the heck. They verify my name and address and ask me whether am sure I am comfortable with giving $10 and also note somewhere that this is not tax deductible.

After I get off the phone, I am more bothered by not knowing much about them and also being concerned about why contributions to them are not tax deductible. The only organizations I give to that are not tax deductible are so because they use more than 10% of their money for lobbying or give direct political endorsements or something like that. So why is this organization not? I tried to go out and look them up on the web and I can’t find that much but I get the vague impression that this organization serves as a professional organization (except, maybe more fraternal in character) like the American Physical Society serves for us physicists. And, like APS, they provide benefits for their professional members like life insurance at good rates, …

Now, I am all in favor of such organizations, but start asking: Why should I be supporting their organization of this sort? How much of my money is going to that versus how much is going to the drunk driving campaign, etc.? I know the police help keep me safe, and good cops vastly outnumber the rotten apples who sometimes commit brutality on the beat, but there are all sorts of people in our service economy that help me and I don’t contribute to all of their organizations.

Finally, I get to thinking about this emphasis on the sticker for my car…Is this some sort of bribery thing? I.e., I put the sticker on my car and maybe if I am pulled over for something, the cop might be a little kinder to me knowing I support the FOP. This really bothers me. (I don’t think I ever planned on actually putting the sticker on my car, but now I surely won’t out of principle.)

So, my question: What do people know about the FOP? And, when the pledge kit comes, should I send in my $10 this time since I already told them I would, or should I send them back the sticker and pledge form and say I have decided that I cannot make a contribution at this time (and, if I do the latter, should I share my concerns)?

2

The FOP is a police fraternal organization.

In some cities, the building’s a hangout for cops, but they also provide legal assistance for cops facing criminal or civil (job-related) charges; lobbies for legislation; provides help for widows and kids of cops killed in the line of duty; and offers other benefits for members.

In the interests of full disclosure, I choose not to support police charities, but the FOP’s legit.

Robin

3

I think the sticker is a brilliant little marketing scheme on their part. You’d like to think that if you got pulled over, the presence of the sticker would mean you’re more likely be let off with a warning. But who knows? The way I see it, there are way too many cars on the road for this to matter. I can’t believe that having the sticker can make all that much difference. Maybe if I got pulled over regularly, I’d see this differently. But I don’t.

I have a policy that I will not give money to any organization who chooses to raise money through phone calls to my home. The only exceptions are my alma maters, whom I have given my phone numbers and don’t mind the call from. An organization which calls me at home goes on the do-not-ever-give list, which is the only way I have of making telefundraising a disincentive for charities. I realize I’m only one person, but it’s the stand I’m taking.

Anyhow, I have found that the calls for police and fire unions have been some of the most aggressive, obnoxious, and persistent calls I get. They are made my professional fundraisers who act like they take “no” personally. They’re good at making you feel like saying NO is like ripping the kevlar vest right off a policeman’s back and shooting him in the chest yourself.

If you feel you’ve been manipulated (and it sounds to me like you do), then by all means send all the stuff back. Enclose a note saying you appreciate their organization’s causes, but after thinking about it you do not feel you can give at this time. Ask to be taken off their call list. Don’t let the implied promise of police favor from the sticker make you part with your money if you don’t want to give.

4

MsRobyn,

Thanks for your quick reply and the great link. Boy, you know, I found that site on Google yesterday but I don’t think the frame on the lefthand side with all the links came up (or I was too zoned to see it!), so I was left with like a one paragraph explanation of who they were and nothing else.

But the links to the rest of your website provide a wealth of information and confirm one of the fears I didn’t directly voice above which was that they do lobby and that their politics and mine are quite far apart. They endorsed Bush for President and Ashcroft for Attorney General. (This despite the fact that they clearly can’t like Bush very much on union issues.) Well, they’ve certainly got their right to their views and making those views known, but they don’t have a right to my money and they ain’t getting it!

Again, thanks for your help!