In 2004, a group of Douglas County business people formed a small organization to raise money to purchase items for the sheriff's office not covered in the department's budgets.
In the past five years, the Douglas County Sheriff's Advisory Council has raised a half-million dollars the old-fashioned way " by asking for it.
There have been no fundraisers, raffles or chicken dinners. Over the years, members learned to write grants and raise funds by borrowing ideas from similar organizations in other communities.
"The advisory council is extremely important," said Sheriff Ron Pierini. "They believe in law enforcement, know the budget is tight and truly want to give the tools for our officers out on the street to perform their jobs."
Stateline lawyer Ron Alling, chairman of the council, said the first donation was made by grateful Glenbrook residents in 2004 following an incident in the upscale Lake Tahoe community.
The first item purchased by the advisory group was a $10,000 Bullard thermal imager to locate subjects at night and for undercover operations.
The organization continually updates 5-, 3- and 1-year plans and meets regularly with the sheriff's office.
Pierini said advisory council members are no pushovers for any request that comes their way.
"They're business people," he said. "They've been in the trenches for a long time and demand justification for everything we ask for. They give us great ideas, maybe there are different methods to purchase things. None of those people have any mission in life other than to help law enforcement."
"I think it's incumbent on everyone to give back," Alling said.
He said he tries to keep his commitments to three at a time, and one of them is the Sheriff's Advisory Council.
"You can't do everything and the people on this board are the same ones involved in everything else in the Valley and at Tahoe. It's the same small pool," he said.
The members rely on fund-raising letters and personal contact.
"We don't spend any money on administrative costs," said advisory council member Bill Henderson said. "We want people who do contribute to know that everything goes straight to the donation."
The advisory council's donations over the past five years fill a three-ring binder.
Ranging from $200,000 for mobile computer terminals to $786 for a training suit, the purchases include a Special Weapons and Tactics team vehicle, bulletproof vests and a remote-controlled robot.
Alling and Henderson said the organization would welcome contributions or inquiries from potential members.
"We would welcome anybody who wants to be involved at any level," Alling said.
For information about donations or membership, contact Alling at 588-6676 or Henderson at 783-6624.
Ron Alling
Lee Bonner
Dan Dykes
Bill Henderson
Bill Johnson
Carl Malkmus
Rudy McTee
Robert Neamy
Ron Pierini
Ray Robinson
Chuck Scharer
Suzy Stockdale
Marsha Tomerlin
Harold Willard
