Kokua Line

By Hildegaard Verploegen

HPD doesn't make calls for fund-raising efforts

QUESTION: I received a very disturbing telephone call last week from a man who said he was collecting money for police officers' widows and orphans. When I declined to contribute, he told me I was being selfish. I'm disturbed that someone representing the police department would make statements like that. Please find out who authorized these phone calls.

ANSWER: The Honolulu Police Department did not authorize that call. HPD is not allowed to do any direct fund-raising, including telephone requests for contributions, said Brandon Stone, department spokesman.

Stone said HPD has no control over telemarketers or other outside organizations. Sometimes groups or individuals erroneously hint or imply that they represent the police department.

Police Chief Michael Nakamura earlier this year asked police-related organizations to drop fund-raising projects that use professional telemarketing firms.

But Stone said there are national organizations and boiler room operations that do continue and hint at a police connection. He said HPD knows of no case in which isle officers or families received funds from telephone solicitations.

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(See expanded versions in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin):

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- Readers get mailing address for Gen. Colin Powell

- Mahalo and Auwe!


Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686, fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802. Email tokokualine@starbulletin.com

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