For the last several years I've been donating money to the FOP.  Not once have I looked into where this money is going or who, if anyone, it helps.  Can any of you help me out?  What does the FOP do?  They have a real nice sales pitch but, how much of it is true?  Are they a good organization to support?  Do they really support cops?  If not, what are some good organizations to support?  Should I just keep my money and buy more guns?[:D]  Thanks in advance for your help.

Thanks
Max.

At my lodge we use donations to provide Christmas and Thanksgiving for underprivileged children and their families and sponsor youth sports teams just to name a few.

Our company donates a good bit to the local FrOP, because the owner likes their victim support services.  That's his words.  I've never looked into exactly what they do that he likes.  He's not happy with their anti-gun platform, but he strongly believes in at least this one cause.z

I believe alot of the money goes to the legal defense fund...

As Art in KY said, phone calls are usually from organizations that keep a portion of the proceeds raised for their payment.  You can contact your local lodge about making a direct donation.  Our lodge uses the donations and dues to provide for local families in need through out the year, to help members in their time of need (e.g. expenses from a terminally ill family member), and other member services.  IIRC, our state lodge used some donations to help purchase duty armor for officers whose agency could not provide it.  Our lodge is very supportive of it's officers.

It is a fundrasing organization that makes the calls. I can only speak about NJ, we never see anything but problems from the State FOP. In fact they supported the administration against 4 long time FOP members. Funny too, since the 4 won in Federal COurt, something called Harassment of Union Officials under the 1st Ammendment

My opinion is that giving money to your local lodge is the way to go.  Your donation will then most likly be used to help people in the area that you live.  The lodge that I make donations to uses the money to assist with local officers that are in "great" need.  Most of the money is used to help the elderly and the poor.  Gifts are given to under privileged children and also the elderly in assisted living homes during the holidays.  Recently my local FOP made a sizeable donation to the area's local VFW to help them with a fundraiser to place a monument up for local veterans.

All that being said, I am not a big fan when the FOP hires fundraising organizations to make the unwanted telephone calls and send out mass mailings.  In my area, the local FOP lodges do not practice these tactics.  Only good old fashioned fund raisers.

If you give to your local FOP and have questions, ask them.  Most lodges will be happy to tell anyone the good deads they are doing with your money.

Not meant to hijack the thread, but....


FOP will never get any of my money as long as they continue to pay telemarketers to call my house asking if I want to buy circus tickets or donate.

That crap is embarrassing. I cant count the times someone on the street has brought that up, thinking I might be the person on the phone "begging" for money, while crying "it's for the kids".

Brings down the whole professionalism thing, IMO.