by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
UNM Police lieutenants Pat Davis and Mike Young each need to raise $1,000 for bail.
They were recommended to participate in Jail and Bail, a fundraiser for the March of Dimes where participants are arrested, booked and must post bail to get out of jail.
To raise bail, the participants request donations for the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent birth defects, premature births and infant
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mortality.
Donations are made electronically through the organization's Web site. Participants get donations by sending out e-mails with links to the site.
Tina Tilton, community director for the organization, said anyone can make a recommendation, and the March of Dimes keeps informants anonymous.
Young said he is honored to raise money for the the organization.
"Being a police officer, we try to give back to the community in every way we possibly can," he said. "This is just another opportunity for me to give back and try to help out."
The organization asks participants to surrender themselves at a luncheon on Dec. 6 at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North, Tilton said. If they do not have enough to post bail, they're given a telephone and asked to start calling people for donations.
Davis said he did Jail and Bail in Washington, D.C., about six years ago.
He arrested representatives and senators and took them to jail, where they were held until they posted bail.
Tilton said the Albuquerque fundraiser doesn't have the resources to track people down and arrest them.
About 700 people signed up to be arrested and raise money.
Participants are booked, fingerprinted and have their mug shot taken.
Davis said it is a fun way to raise money.
"It's good for the department. It gets everyone excited about doing something fun for the kids at Christmas time," he said. "People are excited to be arrested by the police, which is a nice change from when we normally deal with people."
Young said he doesn't know who recommended him, but he has his suspicions.
Davis said he's going to put a bounty out on whoever recommended him.
"I'd like to arrest the person who turned me in," he said. "I'd like to
return the favor."
Davis said Jail and Bail helps improve the public's perception of the police.
"For once, we get to be the good guys and the police, so it's fun for our officers," he said. "It's great for people to get to see us not as the bad guys, but helping people."
Student Lauren Bullard said it's an interesting fundraiser.
"It's a good thing they're doing - raising money for the March of Dimes," she said. "It's kind of a weird way to do it."
Student David Sosa said it is a creative way to raise money.
"The classic way to do it is boring," he said. "It's nice to see something fresh."
Donate money to bail out lieutenants Pat Davis and
Mike Young
To help Davis, visit:
JailandBail.MarchofDimes.com/patdavisunmpd
To help Young, visit:
JailandBail.MarchofDimes.com/mhyoung
