The Associated Press
CLARKSBURG, W.Va.- Forget telemarketing. A police group is going to try to raise money for charity by opening a restaurant with slot machines.
If it works, the Fraternal Order of Police lodge anticipates earning at least $1,000 a month off the games.
“Video poker machines are perfectly legal,” President Carl Springer said. “We’ll run it strictly by the book.”
In the past, Mountaineer Lodge 78 has raised thousands of dollars for charities through monthly bingo games and telemarketing campaigns, Springer said, but “everybody’s been complaining about telemarketing. It’s an inconvenience and we don’t like calling people at home.”
So when it opens a new steakhouse in October, the group will take advantage of its status as a fraternal organization, which lets it operate up to 10 limited video lottery machines.
At least one law enforcement official - former Harrison County Sheriff Joe Trupo - says the plan represents a moral conflict of interest. He believes police should be police and not gambling enthusiasts.
Springer said he is not aware of any other FOPs across the county pursuing a similar idea and said his group considered the proposal carefully.
“I don’t think it’s a conflict,” Springer said. “If somebody gets out of hand, hopefully they will be arrested.”