Crime & Safety

Police: Be Wary of 'Police Organization' Calling Your Home

Donated money is not going to local police departments, PBAs or state troopers

Police are advising residents to be wary of any telephone calls asking them to donate to police organizations. Solicitors for "the New Jersey Police Officers' Foundation, a project of the Italian-American Society" have been calling some homes in Ocean County last week, asking for donations.

Police in Point Borough and Point Beach, as well as officials with the state police and the NJ Association of Police Chiefs, said in interviews that they are not familiar with that particular organization.

However, they all said their departments, as well as local and state PBA representatives, do not solicit donations by phone.

Find out what's happening in Toms Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Local PBAs use mailers.

Point Borough Capt. Richard Larsen, who recently got one of these phone calls at his own home, said the ongoing round of phone calls in the borough is only the latest in a longstanding practice of organizations hiring telemarketers to solicit donations by phone.

Find out what's happening in Toms Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"None of that money comes back to our local departments," Larsen said, adding that he ended the phone call he got at home by telling them he wasn't donating and saying, "No, thank you."

Point Beach Detective Patrick Petruzziello said he would advise residents not to donate money to anyone soliciting by phone and not to give out any personal information over the phone.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.