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This year, everybody gets police group mailings Nonprofit group runs fund-raiser, gets half the profits By DANI DODGE Instead of the usual phone solicitations, the Medford and Ashland police associations are raising money this year with a direct mail fund-raiser that includes sending a we-support-the-police sticker to each home in each city. "We want positive relations with the community," said Medford Detective Sgt. Roy Skinner. "We know fund-raisers take advantage of using our name, so we are always concerned about the type of fund raising we are doing. We've had problems with concerts. Problems with circuses. Problems with promoters. " Because of those previous problems, the Medford Police Association didn't even hold a fund-raiser last year. But this year, a nonprofit association called New Equity Productions contacted both associations, which are made up of members of the police departments but are separate from the police department and the unions. New Equity sends out fund-raising letters for free. When money starts coming in, New Equity reimburses itself for the mailing's cost, and then takes half the profits. The rest goes to the association. "It's the highest return we've gotten on a drive," said Skinner. With some fund-raisers, like concerts, they got as little as 2 to 6 percent of donations, which meant they usually netted between $1,000 and $8,000, he said. Medford is sending out about 40,000 letters to businesses and homes. Using the same calculations, a successful fund-raiser in Medford could net approximately $13,000 for the Medford Police Association. The estimates could be a bit high. The Oregon State Sheriffs' Association holds a similar fund-raiser every two years and typically sees only a 1.5 percent return, according to its executive director, Art Martinak. Calls to Huntington Beach, Calif.-based New Equity were not returned. Both Medford and Ashland give the money they receive back to the community by supporting youth, civic and public service groups, including Little League baseball and high school scholarships. Medford also allows officers to each use $50 of the money for training. "We give money to Ashland's alcohol-free graduation party, to the DECA club, the bowling team, Babe Ruth travel fund," said Susan James, president of the Ashland Police Officers' Association. "We've adopted at Linda Vista (Care Center) the patients with no family. We'll go up and put on some type of program and we buy presents. "It's not always the same thing we donate to - every year it's something different." The Oregon State Sheriffs' Association sends out similar letters and stickers every two years, but has a different method and mission. People who contribute $25 per year become "an honorary member of the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association." There are 1,122 members in Jackson County. Every two years, the sheriffs association sends membership invitations to nonmembers in Jackson County. The letters are sent to people who would be expected to support law enforcement, such as veterans, said Martinak. The money collected helps pay for deputy training, run an anti-drug hot line and fund other related activities, such as developing a report on how to make jails run their best. The money also pays for the association's office and staff. The sheriffs association last held a drive for new members in Jackson County in September. At the time, it mailed letters to 13,880 homes and 2,000 businesses. Out of that mailing, 238 people and 20 businesses joined and the association collected $6,925. Martinak said that like the Medford and Ashland association, the sheriffs organization sends the sticker with the mailing rather than after they get the money. "If we don't send a sticker, then we have to mail another, and that's another expense," Martinak said. "This way they've already got it. Those who don't renew or don't want it just throw it away." None of the spokespeople for the associations believed the stickers, which bear the likeness of an official police badge, would be misconstrued as a way to keep the cops at bay. In fact, the fund-raising letter sent to Medford and Ashland residents addresses the issue: "Possession of support decals will not reflect preferential treatment during enforcement contacts, but will allow the bearer to go though any green light in town." Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.