Crime & Safety

Beware Of Calls Asking For Police Donations

An organization with a legitimate-sounding name is asking for donations on behalf of police, but they want you to report the callers.

The Niles Police Department is warning residents to beware of telephone solicitors asking for money on behalf of the police department.

If you receive such a call, the police department asks you to file a police report so they may investigate.

"Niles Police Department has been made aware that the Metropolitan Alliance of Police (MAP) has been conducting telephone solicitation to Niles residents," said Sgt. Robert Tornabene. "The telephone solicitors are NOT members of the Niles Police Department and they should not be soliciting on behalf of the police department."

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The fundraisers sometimes imply that the Niles Police Department in some way benefits from the donation, according to the statement, but police say it does not.  

"The Niles Police Department does not authorize nor does it want any organization to solicit on its behalf. The department is funded through municipal taxes and fees that are authorized and budgeted by the Village of Niles Board of Trustees," the statment said.

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 If a fundraiser states that they represent the Niles Police Department, police ask you to call them at (847) 588-6500. Try to provide as much information as possible, including the name of the person calling, the name and address of the organization, and any telephone numbers provided. Illinois law requires paid fundraisers to identify themselves as such and to name the organization for which they are soliciting. 

The rest of the statement says:

In some cases, organizations, such as the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the Metropolitan Alliance of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police may in fact have individual members of the Niles Police Department as members of their organization. However no one at the Niles Police Department has given consent to or hired telemarketers to solicit funds on behalf of the department. The decision to solicit funds through this type of telemarketing is being made by persons outside of our community. At times these solicitors may be pushy and imply that they are members of the Niles Police Department, when in fact they are not.

Be assured that the Niles Police receives no direct benefit from these solicitations nor would it accept any. The department has received complaints that some telemarketers not only imply that they are the Niles Police, but that donating will somehow improve the donor’s service level. This could not be further from the truth. The Niles Police Department prides itself on the high level of service it provides to all residents.

The Niles Police Department appreciates the support of our residents and business owners, but asks that if you choose to donate to a soliciting organization you do so based on your personal preference and choice and not because you feel pressured or swayed by the implication that the money will find its way to the local police officer or police department. 

To learn more about Illinois laws regarding charitable solicitations, you may also visit the Illinois Attorney General’s Office website at: www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov.

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