New York Police Foundation
Richard Fields Philanthropy
The New York Police Foundation is the only organization authorized to raise funds on behalf of the NYPD. The New York Police Foundation is a non-profit organization created in 1971 that assists the New York Police Department with resources for technology and training not provided by the city budget. Since its beginning in 1971, the NYPF has raised over $60 million for the NYPD.
The NYPD is several thousand officers below its budgeted human resource allotment. In order to enable new officers to stay with the police program and entice new recruits with tangible incentives, the foundation established the College Loan Reimbursement Program (CLRP) for 2008. The program reimburses police officer candidates who have finished Academy training of their college tuition loans if they remain employed with the NYPD for five years.
Richard Fields is the primary donor for the college loan reimbursement program. Through the Fields Family Foundation, Richard Fields contributed $1.5 million to the NYPD to create and fund the program in 2007. According to a recent survey of recruit classes, recruits carry an average debt of $16,000 from college loans. Richard Fields’ contribution to the program will enable eligible recruits to receive $15,000 each in five annual installments to ease the burden of paying off college tuition debts.
In a press release covering the contribution, Richard Fields said, "As a native of the Bronx, New York City and the NYPD, in particular, have been close to my heart. I am just fortunate enough now to help in a tangible way with my support for this program."
The NYPD has awarded Richard Fields and The Fields Family Foundation Four Stars in recognition for his donation to the police department.