The Social Structure of Private Donations to Police

What is the scale and structure of private donations to police departments? Previous studies have focused on police foundations moving tens of millions of dollars. Using a unique data license from Guidestar Candid—all nonprofit organization tax returns from 2014-2019—we describe a larger and integrated world of organizations moving private money to police. We introduce the concept of police finance organizations, private entities that channel material resources in support of police departments without facing the same levels of public accountability, regulations, and transparency as the police departments themselves. Our exploratory data analysis and social network methods revealed three types of these organizations: 1) connectors, 2) boosters, and 3) havens. Connectors donated to multiple police departments. Boosters donated exclusively to one police department. Havens publicly and materially supported police, yet did not officially report doing so. Overall, we provide the most complete description of the vast and underestimated structure of private donations.