'Misleading' Fundraising Letter Sent To Residents: Town

EAST HAMPTON, NY — East Hampton Town officials are warning residents about a "misleading" fundraising letter that's been sent out asking for donations to help fund police with equipment.

According to a release from East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, the solicitation letter says it is from the "United States Deputy Sheriffs Association." The letter is "misleading ...and they should carefully consider whether to respond," the release said.

Headed “East Hampton, New York Area Drive for America’s Police and Sheriff’s Emergency
Equipment Shortage,” the letter, citing an increase in shootings of police officers, asks for
monetary donations to supply police with equipment such as bulletproof vests and body armor, Van Scoyoc said in the release.

However, the fundraising effort is not affiliated with local police and will not mean a donation to local East End police departments, Van Scoyac said. "The East Hampton Town Police Department has no affiliation with the United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association,
which is based in Wichita, Kansas. Our department has not received, nor does it expect to
receive, equipment donations from this group. Information on the organization on CharityNavigator.org, which rates nonprofits, shows that the United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association spends 88 percent of its revenue on fundraising expenses, and only 5.5 percent on the programs and services it delivers. A similar fundraising campaign has been reported in other communities, and has also been flagged as misleading," Van Scoyoc said.

According to David Hinners, executive director and national training officers for the United States Deputy Sheriff's Association, the town's assertions are "incorrect."

His organization, Hinners said, is a not-for-profit that has been in existence for 25 years that was created to assist law enforcement on the city, state and federal level with various programs, including free close-quarter, active shooter training. The organization also has and "end of watch" program that provides grants to families after police officers die in the line of duty.

While the group does provide equipment, whether or not the equipment would be donated depends on the size of a police department; safety equipment is donated largely to underfunded, smaller agencies, Hinners said. His organization also grants scholarships, Hinners said.