A Facebook post made by the East Liverpool Police Department is warning the community against donating to a charity with a misleading mailer.

According to the post, a charity called the United States Deputy Sheriff's Association (USDSA) is raising money for bullet proof vests. They also provide training seminars for things like hand-to-hand combat, active shooting response and how to handle felony & high-risk vehicle stops.

A picture of the mailer accompanying the post reads "Yes you have my permission to list my name as a CITIZEN SUPPORTER of my East Liverpool Police." Later in the same paragraph is says "I am rushing USDSA my best gift to help supply desperately needed BULLETPROOF VESTS, equipment and lifesaving training to our under-siege police my best gift of..." and then it has check boxes for $10, $15, $25, $50 and a write in amount.

This is a legitimate charity and they do provide these services to police departments across the nation including Ohio and Pennsylvania.

However, the problem is that any money donated to this charity won't actually go to the East Liverpool Police Department according to a spokesperson from the USDSA.

For that to happen, the department would have to be signed up with the association to receive any benefits from these mailers.

The East Liverpool Police Department is not and says that any money raised from this mailer won't actually stay in the community. 

Instead, the money raised will go to other police departments across the nation that are signed up with the association.

So how will you know if an organization will actually put money toward a department in your area?

According to the ELPD, a local organization raising money will list the department's full name and logo on the mailer.