Falmouth Officer Fundraisers Clash With Ethics Law

FALMOUTH, MA – GoFundMe campaigns for two Falmouth police officers shot over the summer conflict with state ethics law, according to legal officials. The fundraiser for Officer Don DeMiranda, who was shot in the shoulder and chest while responding to a report of a person breaking bottles in the street in East Falmouth, raised $12,000. A campaign for Officer Ryan Moore, who was grazed in the neck during the same call, raised $5,100.

But the town's attorney told Police Chief Edward Dunne the campaigns constitute a conflict of interest, writing, "the law prohibits members of the public from offering or giving anything of ‘substantial value’ to a public official or municipal employee for or because of some act the official or employee has performed," according to the Cape Cod Times.

A fundraising campaign is not exempt "even if the donor has no corrupt intent and the gift is offered with good intentions," the attorney added. The law also requires that a fundraiser for a public employee not mention anything about the individual's position.

DeMiranda returned the donations from his GoFundMe, and Dunne told the Times he had not yet spoken to Moore. A new campaign has been started for DeMiranda, called "Falmouth Helping Falmouth," that does not show him in uniform and makes no mention of the shooting. The man who started it, Michael Heylin, said he checked with state officials and it is "good to proceed."

The GoFundMe has raised $1,100 of its $1,500 goal.

Click here to contribute to the campaign. GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.

Photo courtesy of GoFundMe