Bowling Green police are worried that a fundraising effort might be using the department’s name to lure people into giving money. But the Bowling Green Fraternal Order of Police and the man organizing the fundraising deny anything improper is being done.

Pat Allen of Bowling Green said a man by the name of Dan Brown called her work, asking for her boss and stating that he was from the police department. Allen’s boss wasn’t available at that time; she said she talked to the caller about a program for juveniles. She then found out after calling the police department that there was no Dan Brown working there and that the department didn’t offer the program the man talked about.

Later, the man called and talked to Allen’s boss, and the phone’s caller identification showed the call came from the “Fraternal Order,” Allen said.

“I’m worried they would try to call older residents and take their money,” she said.

There have been multiple complaints and calls of concern about people misrepresenting themselves as Bowling Green Police officers, said Officer Barry Pruitt, spokesman for the department.

Bob Engler, who is running the fundraising efforts for the FOP, said that he listens to most of the calls and that the telemarketers identify themselves as being from the “Bowling Green Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 13.” The documentation sent by mail to businesses and individuals also clearly identifies the FOP lodge. But, he added, the telemarketers have been greeted by angry call recipients.

“Somebody has been saying really bad things about the FOP,” said Engler.

He said he didn’t know who was making the negative comments, but they have had an impact on fundraising – the lodge is $15,000 to $20,000 behind the last two efforts.

This isn’t the first time there have been complaints to the department over fundraising involving the FOP, Pruitt said, as each of the last few FOP fundraisers have resulted in calls to the department.

“The Bowling Green Police Department does not do any type of telephone solicitation,” Pruitt said. “The department receives its funding from tax funding and grants.”

The department also does not receive any benefit from any of the FOP’s fundraising activities, he said, adding that BGPD just wants people to understand exactly to what group they’re donating.

Russell McElroy, vice president of the Bowling Green FOP, said the fundraising effort is simply to raise funds for the food programs the lodge does at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“As far as I know, everything we’re doing is completely above the board,” he said.