NEWS RELEASE           

January 25, 2008

PHOENIX LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION  602 246-7869

1102 W. Adams             FAX:  602 246 0226

Phoenix, AZ 85007 www.azplea.com  

TO:  All media, for immediate release

PLEA Urges City to require licensing of Palm Readers  

PHOENIX, AZ—Citing incidents of citizens being taken advantage of by unscrupulous palm readers, psychics, “fortune tellers”, and others, the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) has requested that the City of Phoenix require all such practitioners to be licensed by the City. “Our request is based on the City of Scottsdale’s law regulating ‘Magic Arts’ establishments,” PLEA President Mark Spencer explained. “Passage of such a requirement by the City would allow us to protect our most vulnerable citizens from those who would take advantage of them.”

In the City of Scottsdale those who practice palmistry, phrenology, astrology, fortune telling, mind reading, clairvoyance, tarot card reading, or other similar practices are required to pay an annual fee of $100 to do business within the City limits. In addition, all employees of such establishments must be fingerprinted, the cost paid for by the business. Application for such a business license is required to be approved at least 30 days prior to the start of a business.

“We are not trying to restrict someone from earning a living,” Detective Toni Brown, author of the licensing/ordinance request, explained. “What we hope to accomplish is our ability to respond to complaints of those who have gone to someone for help only to be taken advantage of financially and emotionally.”

For more than 30 years PLEA has represented the rank and file members of the Phoenix Police Department and their dependents.

For additional media information, to set up interviews, etc., please contact: Carole V. Bartholomeaux, BARTHOLOMEAUX/PUBLIC RELATIONS, LLC, 602 404 8018, or Carole@b-pr.com