AUGUSTA — A new bill submitted by Sen.
Bill Diamond, D-Windham, would remove a prohibition on fundraising by law
enforcement agencies in some circumstances.
Diamond, who submitted the legislation last
Thursday, said he was spurred to act after learning that several law
enforcement officers in the state were struggling to pay for medical expenses
related to family members’ illnesses. Current law does not allow police
departments to solicit funds, so too often the officers in question have to
turn to third-party fundraisers that retain much of the donations as a fee for
service.
“Our police are hard-wired to protect
and serve, and they deserve better than to struggle to take care of their loved
ones in a time of need,” Diamond said. “There’s no reason our law shouldn’t be
a little more flexible.”
Diamond said his intention is to allow
law enforcement agencies to collect donations only under certain extenuating
circumstances affecting an officer or their family, such as severe illness or
other catastrophic event, or to help the families of officers killed in the
line of duty. To ensure no member of the public is inadvertently intimidated
into donating, the bill will also be designed to prohibit uniformed officers
from directly soliciting donations themselves.
“Police officers, sheriff’s deputies,
state troopers and other law enforcement officials work hard every day to keep
us safe,” Diamond said. “The least we can do is give them the ability to take
care of their own when tragedy strikes.”
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