Somerville police fund raiser (annoying phone call)

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

I remember this issue was discussed before.... I got a call from the Somerville police department (or so the caller said), asking for money for a fundraiser. I assume many others are being called as I write. Personally, I find these calls implicitly pushy and inappropriate and I wish they were illegal.

Comments

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

I don't answer numbers I don't recognise. I sometimes don't answer numbers I do recognise. That's why voicemail was created...and if they don't leave a message, so much the better, because then I don't have to call them back.

[squirrelitude]

It probably is illegal. I bet it's not the police dept.

[jadelennox]

it almost always is the police department -- or at least, it's usually the fraternal order of police. I'm frustrated by them because they're usually asking people to engage in actively unwise behavior, namely, leaving a check in the mail box. I've also had calls from the fraternal order of police where the caller ever so subtly tries to border on blackmail.

But no, actually the police, and not illegal.

[cnoocy]

Don't forget the calls from the American Legion that justify the same behavior because "the police do it".

[dial-zero.livejournal.com]

http://www.nj.com/south/index.ssf/2007/11/by_sean_c_mccullen_smccullensj.html

Not always actually the police. Often paid solicitors.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

It is probably a paid solicitor working on behalf of the police department (or a fraternal organization of police or police benevolent agency), and it is 100% legal.

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

yeah, these are awful... and it's worse when the person they're calling runs a business. teeters on the verge of blackmail, implied if not actual. bleh.

[darxus.livejournal.com]

Ask local government to outlaw it.

It sounds plenty into conflict of interest.

[jenskot.livejournal.com]

My mom in the 'burbs gets these calls all the time from her local police. It's really not so different from your annoying alma mater hitting you up for dough, except for the whole intimidation thing ("145 Pinecrest declined. Guess we'll be taking our time when that place gets broken into!"). She hates the fuzz as much as I do, though, and chewed them out the last time for "persecuting a conscientious elderly citizen" for ticketing her in a crosswalk trap. Go Ma!

[hikermtnbiker.livejournal.com]

I'm curious why they do fundraisers at all. Police (and firefighters) seem relatively well paid and I imagine that their benefits and insurance are good. Maybe this was not the case 50 years ago and these things are just a legacy. Could it be for charitable purposes? I just find it odd.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

There are places with crosswalk traps? Wow.

[jenskot.livejournal.com]

Yeah, someone pops out of the bushes and stands "waiting" at a previously empty crosswalk before you have time to screech to a halt (what happened to my mom), or they wait for you to get caught in traffic blocking a crosswalk (what happened to a friend).
I'm just waiting for them to start incorporating the statie-speeding into a trap, where the statie zooms up behind your car at 110 mph with nowhere for you to move over, and then tickets you for driving 112 mph. :S

[acidgalore.livejournal.com]

I was getting calls like these when I lived in Somerville and I get them now that I live in Cambridge. Apart from finding these kind of calls annoying, I find the attitude of the caller rude. After their initial request and my polite response "I'm afraid I can't donate anything right now", I get a series of questions like "Really? Not even $10?". I mean seriously? I gave you a polite response when all I really wanted to say is "NO" and hang up, and you keep insisting? My response to the "not even $10" was "That's none of your business. Bye." and hang up.

[redcolumbine.livejournal.com]

There do exist MANY scams that claim to be the police department, and I don't have the time to sort through them and do the research. I tell them, as I do all phonespammers, that I don't make contributions over the phone, goodbye, and leave them babbling as I hang up.

Like hikermtnbiker, I wonder what it's for (when it is indeed the police). But I don't want to waste their time keeping them on the line when it's been years since I could afford to give to charity at all.

[i-leonardo.livejournal.com]

A couple years ago I started politely explaining to them that I didn't accept any charitable solicitations over the phone ("because of the potential for fraud, you know") but that I'd absolutely consider any request if they dropped a copy of their literature in my mailbox. They always said they'd do it, they never did, and within 2 years I found I'd dropped off everyone's call list.

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

I found a listing for the Somerville Police Relief Assocation on taxexemptworld:
http://www.taxexemptworld.com/organization.asp?tn=27939

What's annoying to me about these phone calls is that they use "professional fundraisers" to make the calls, I may pledge $10, and they keep calling me until I've sent in the pledge; it's in my bill basket, I'll get to it. But really, they're spending $$$ to go after my $10? Not very efficient.

Funny, they called again...

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

A third time will trigger a harassment complaint from me to the SOS.