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Show Police chief questions f undraising tactics He said that although the fundraising is legal it borders on extortion in his mind. The chief added that the Utah Alliance of police officers have hired a marketing firm to sell the , tickets for the fundraising activity. Chief Ferre reported that he had asked the solicitors to stop telephoning Pleasant Grove residents and they said they would but the calls have persisted. He noted that Dennis Thayne, president of the Alliance, told him -that, the callers were definitely not to be rude or mislead the public. Pleasant Grove Police Chief Mike Ferre has firmly expressed his displeasure with a fundraising campaign being waged in the area under the sponsorship of the Utah Alliance of Police Officers. Chief Ferre said the citizens are receiving telephone calls from solicitors selling tickets for a variety show and who indicate that the proceeds from the ticket sales will help the local police dept. The chief stated this is definitely not the case. The fund raising was the police department and the local -police will not receive any money from the project. He explained that the Utah Alliance of Police Officers is a kind of union and only one local officer is affiliated with the group. Chief Ferre also expressed concern at reported incidents of rudeness to citizens by the solicitors. He felt that this would reflect upon the local police department as well. Local businessmen have received phone calls asking them to place ads for the show. Chief Ferre said he has told the businessmen to save their money as it does not assist the local department at all. "We have a pretty good rapport with the people in the community and I wouldn't want them to think that they are being intimidated by the police when we actually have no association with it", Chief Ferre explained. |