On Wednesday, the Hendersonville Police Department took to Facebook to promote what it called an “amazing raffle,” putting an AR-15-style rifle in the same prize lineup as $700 in cash and a 75-inch smart TV. Tickets are listed at $10 each, with the post stating that proceeds will benefit the Hendersonville Citizens Police Academy Association. The message also names FOP Lodge 63 and urges residents to support local law enforcement.
What’s in the raffle
According to a Facebook post by the Hendersonville, TN Police Department, the drawing features an AR-15 supplied by Defense Armory as one of the prizes, alongside $700 in cash and a 75-inch smart TV. The post notes that tickets cost $10 and that the proceeds are earmarked for the Hendersonville Citizens Police Academy Association, and it also references Hendersonville FOP Lodge 63.
How transfers and rules usually work
Federal rules typically require that any firearm prize be transferred through a licensed dealer. The ATF explains that a federal firearms licensee must complete ATF Form 4473 and run a NICS background check before transferring a firearm to a raffle winner. Guidance from the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Charitable Solicitations and Gaming division notes that raffles in Tennessee are limited to approved 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organizations and must follow state procedures.
About the groups involved
The Hendersonville Citizens Police Academy operates community training programs and an alumni association that supports police outreach efforts. The post also mentions Hendersonville FOP Lodge 63, the local Fraternal Order of Police chapter that has partnered with the department on fundraising and events.
Questions remain
The Facebook post does not specify which local dealer, if any, would handle the winner’s firearm transfer or how organizers intend to ensure compliance with federal and state requirements. Organizers running firearm raffles typically coordinate transfers through a federal firearms licensee so winners can complete the required paperwork and background check, and Tennessee’s charitable gaming rules require prior approval before conducting a raffle.
