Several Jamestown residents have reported receiving phone calls from people soliciting money for a cyberbullying education program to be held at the Jamestown schools. Callers say that they are raising money on behalf of the Jamestown Police Department. Although this appears to be a legitimate statewide organization, neither the police nor the Jamestown School Department is affiliated with the organization or its fundraising effort.

It is not known if any of the money raised will benefit Jamestown children. It is a felony in Rhode Island to solicit money in the name of a law enforcement agency without the consent of the agency.

Jamestown residents should note that the police are not currently running any type of fundraising effort. If at any point in the future the International Brotherhood of Police Officers or the Jamestown Police Officer’s Benevolent Association runs a fundraiser, it will appear in the newspaper.

If any resident receives a call from someone soliciting money on behalf of police, they are encouraged to obtain as much information from the caller as possible and file a report. Information that should be obtained is the telephone number, caller’s full name, supervisor’s name, company the caller is working for and the name of the organization for which they are raising money.