Texan
Active Member
Last week, just down the road from me here in NE Texas, a Texas Department of Public Safety officer (Highway Patrol Man) was shot down after pulling a crazed idiot over. After a three day manhunt involving many different agencies from Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, they finally surrounded the nut cake in a barn and he killed himself, saving the tax payers untold millions housing him on death row before what was sure to be a death sentance. The officer left behind a wife and a 5 month old baby girl. Such a terrible waste. Just a terrible waste.
In the wake of this tragedy, I had planned to send a donation to his family through a bank set up in his home town. Then the phone rang today. On the other end was a casual acquaintance that works for DPS, and he was calling people asking for donations for the family of the slain officer. I told him that I planned to send something, and he told me that he would send me a copy of the DPS' 5013-C certificate making the donation a tax write off, plus a postage paid return envolope to send my donation directly to the bank in the officers home town.
I tell you all that to tell you this:
After we got finished with the business at hand, I asked him about the Texas Highway Patrolmans Association, who I get a call from about every six months. I've never sent this 'association' anything because I figured that they were telemarketers. This friend substantiated what I had thought about this supposed 'association.' I asked if DPS ever saw any of the money raised to which he replied, 5%. That's FIVE PERCENT!! He went on to say that the same bunch does it for darn near every state in the country, too!! The telemarketing firm keeps 95% for operations. He also said that most all highway patrol organizations don't call unless it is a situation like what I've just described above.
Beware of these goons. He told me that you need to stop them in mid-stride, ask them for their name and their supervisors name, then tell them that you don't want to hear from them again. Further, if they do call back at any point in the future, you now have their name as well as their supervisors name so that you can press charges against them. He said that usually, they will hang up before you can get their name.
Sorry to be long winded, but I see a LOT of cars running up and down the highway with stickers on the window telling me they have donated to this 'association.' I can't imagine how they would feel if they knew just how little of their money actually goes to DPS. I'm spreading the word, starting here.
Please note, although no boardcode and smiley buttons are shown, they are still useable
In the wake of this tragedy, I had planned to send a donation to his family through a bank set up in his home town. Then the phone rang today. On the other end was a casual acquaintance that works for DPS, and he was calling people asking for donations for the family of the slain officer. I told him that I planned to send something, and he told me that he would send me a copy of the DPS' 5013-C certificate making the donation a tax write off, plus a postage paid return envolope to send my donation directly to the bank in the officers home town.
I tell you all that to tell you this:
After we got finished with the business at hand, I asked him about the Texas Highway Patrolmans Association, who I get a call from about every six months. I've never sent this 'association' anything because I figured that they were telemarketers. This friend substantiated what I had thought about this supposed 'association.' I asked if DPS ever saw any of the money raised to which he replied, 5%. That's FIVE PERCENT!! He went on to say that the same bunch does it for darn near every state in the country, too!! The telemarketing firm keeps 95% for operations. He also said that most all highway patrol organizations don't call unless it is a situation like what I've just described above.
Beware of these goons. He told me that you need to stop them in mid-stride, ask them for their name and their supervisors name, then tell them that you don't want to hear from them again. Further, if they do call back at any point in the future, you now have their name as well as their supervisors name so that you can press charges against them. He said that usually, they will hang up before you can get their name.
Sorry to be long winded, but I see a LOT of cars running up and down the highway with stickers on the window telling me they have donated to this 'association.' I can't imagine how they would feel if they knew just how little of their money actually goes to DPS. I'm spreading the word, starting here.
Please note, although no boardcode and smiley buttons are shown, they are still useable
