News
RB PBA Warns Of Misleading Telemarketing Campaigns
By John Burton
RED BANK - Representatives for the state's largest police union are again raising concerns over fundraising practices by other organizations that they believe are confusing the public about who is actually receiving the money.
The Red Bank Police Benevolent Association Local #39 recently sent a notice about the PBA's annual fund drive now underway.
The notice, from Robert Campanella, a member of the borough department, and president of the local PBA, warned area residents and businesses that a recent mail and telemarketing campaign soliciting donations for law enforcement groups is not sponsored by or benefiting state or local PBA organizations, or local police departments.
James Ryan, a spokesman for the state PBA organization, headquartered in Woodbridge, called these other fundraising endeavors his, "arch enemies."
The state PBA, by its own bylaws, Ryan noted, cannot solicit donations by phone; the organization uses only direct mail.
"If we don't send a letter out to the locals then it's not legit," Ryan said.
The state PBA represents approximately 35,000 law enforcement officers around the state, the state's largest such organization.
Other groups, representing much smaller numbers, will regularly contract with telemarketers to run their fundraising efforts.
But, as Ryan noted, usually very little of the money collected by many of these telemarketing firms, actually makes its way to the sponsoring organization. As little as two cents per dollar can make its way into an organization's coffers, based upon a recent study conducted by a Florida research firm, Ryan said.
The state PBA sees this practice as "deceptive" and has even lobbied state lawmakers to draft legislation to ban the practice outright. A proposed bill was raised in committee three years ago, but dropped after concerns were expressed that it would violate free speech, Ryan explained.
Some of the organizations, which say they represent New Jersey police, are based outside New Jersey, according to Ryan.
"My advice to any resident in the Red Bank area who gets this call is just hang up," Ryan said.
The Red Bank PBA's annual fundraising drive is conducted to support such local programs as the D.A.R.E. drug prevention program in the schools, Christmas toy and Thanksgiving food drives and the YMCA Black/Hispanic achievers group, among others, according to the letter being distributed by the department's PBA.
One group that does use telemarketers is the New Jersey Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police. The NJFOP is the state's chapter for what is the nation's largest law enforcement organization, with approximately 323,000 members across the country, and with 14,000 members in New Jersey, according to the organization's Web site.
In response to comments expressed by the PBA over fundraising practices, an NJFOP spokesman forwarded a press statement outlining and defending the NJFOP's position.
The NJFOP uses Civic Development Group (CDG) for telemarketing to solicit donations and is guaranteed a minimum of $375,000, and an overall 13 percent of money raised. Those funds, according to the press release, are used to support families of officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty, and for a variety of charitable programs sponsored by the fraternal order.
The arrangement between NJFOP and CDG has not been perfect," the NJFOP acknowledged, "but it represented the NJFOP's best funding option."
According to the NJFOP, the New Jersey PBA has used this telemarketer in the past, as do approximately 30 police unions throughout the country.
The NJFOP, "is serious about how telephone solicitations are conducted," and insisted it investigates any complaint.
The fraternal order also noted, given the difficult economic times, the organization will be seeking to become more "financially self-reliant," which would mean, "we don't foresee using telemarketing as a fundraising tool after 2010."
