Callers Asking for Donations Are Not Local Police

The Western Springs Police Department has issued a press release reminding residents that village police officers are not making phone solicitation calls for the Metropolitan Alliance of Police (MAP), and contributions raised by these phone calls do not go to either the department or the village.

“The union has a legal right to solicit residents on behalf of the Western Springs police department, but officers do not have a right to solicit residents either on or off-duty,” said Village Deputy Chief Brian Budds.

Budds said that the Police Department has received a number of comments, questions and complaints about the calls. He said that the calls are made by telemarketers, not police officers.

The release also stated that some residents had reported that the telemarketers may have represented themselves as officers—an illegal action, if true. A headline on the Western Springs Web site read "Telephone Solicitation Scam" as of Friday afternoon.

However, Budds said that MAP denied that their marketers were directly representing themselves as village officers. Budds added that residents may have “inferred” that from their phone conversations.

“No member of the bargaining unit will personally conduct solicitations of any village of Western Springs merchants, residents or citizens on behalf of MAP or the Western Springs Police Department,” said Village Director of Police Pam Church in the press release. “No officer will pick up donations from homes or businesses. These fund-raising contributions are never given directly to the Western Springs Police Department.”

Two MAP chapters, Chapter 360 and Chapter 456, represent village patrol officers and police sergeants, respectively.