Indio Police Officers,

The Indio Police Officers Memorial, Widows Emergency and Scholarship Fund was created in 2004.  Our creator and original Chairman, John Rose, retired after working 37 ½ years with the Long Beach Police Department.  During his tenure at Long Beach he was involved with their Police Officers Association as President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and as a Director.  Many years ago Long Beach lost 3 officers and all the funds to help members was rapidly depleted.  With the help of an attorney, the Association created a Widows & Orphans Trust.  This enabled the public to donate money to help the fallen officers’ families.

 

When John moved to Indio he learned that the Indio Police Officers Association had never lost an officer, nor did they have anything like a Widows & Orphans Trust.  John contacted the President of the POA and the Chief of Police and offered to start a fund to benefit officers killed or injured and for catastrophic needs.  The fund would also have a scholarship program for officers and their children.

 

In 2004 we registered our name with the Secretary of State and filed papers with the IRS asking for 501(c)(3) status.  John Rose began the charity with a $300.00 donation from his personal account.  When John passed away in 2012 we filed an amended Trust with the IRS and State of California to include his name in the Trust.  We now honor him by being known as The Indio Police Officers, John Rose Memorial, Widows Emergency and Scholarship Fund.

 

A Board of Trustees was assembled.  The current Board consists of:  Paul Proulx (Chairman),  Adela Rose (Secretary/Treasurer), Mike Washburn, Chief of Police (Trustee), Betsy Martyn (Trustee), and Peter Fuentes, IPOA President (Trustee).  Our Trust documents call for 5 members of the community, the Chief of Police or his designate, and the POA President or his designate, to be on the Board.  We currently have two open spots on the Board.  If you need more information about our Board of Trustees, a short bio for each can be made available to you.

 

Our first fundraising event was a golf tournament, held in September 2004, at the Indian Palms Country Club.  The event was dubbed “The 1st Annual Widows & Orphans Golf Tournament”.  We held our last tournament, the “16th Annual Widows & Orphans Golf Tournament” in September of 2019, at the Heritage Palms Golf Club in Indio.  We are happy to say that the Indio Police Department has not lost any officers in the line of duty and have only had one catastrophic injury.  The Board has been asked several times to assist officers who had an emergency medical and financial hardships.  Each request for assistance is evaluated on a case by case basis. 

 

Our Scholarship Program began offering scholarships in 2011.  Copies of the application form and instructions are available in the office of the Chief of Police.  You may also download an application from www.IndioPDMemorial.org or by email at IndioPoliceOfficersMemorial@gmail.com.

 

In our tri-fold brochure, the Trust’s mission statement is as follows:  “This trust is created to devote and apply the trust funds directly and exclusively to the charitable or educational needs of the Indio Police Officers, their dependents, families, and survivors, and the property, assets, profits and net income of this trust are irrevocable dedicated to such purposes.”

 

And lastly, we pay no salaries.  All monies donated by members of the Indio Police Officers Association and the public go directly into the Trust Fund.  Our only expenditures are printing, mailing, storage and the costs directly associated with the fund raising event (i.e. green fees, food, and gifts).

 

We have a great many small contributors and sponsors.  It would be an honor to include you in this elite group.  If you’d like to speak with any of our Trustees, feel free to call 760-342-7870 to arrange a time and location.

 

Thank you for your interest in the Indio Police Officers, John Rose Memorial.