The Associated Press

CLEVELAND - An edgy new advertising campaign to promote organ donation hints that police officers should cut speeders some slack when they see a driver's license has the organ donor symbol.

"Hey policeman," a Cleveland billboard calls out, an arrow pointing to a donor insignia on a young man's license, "give this guy a break."

The advertisements by LifeBanc, the Cleveland-based organ procurement agency for 20 counties in northeast Ohio, are meant to attract attention, a spokeswoman said.

"We wanted to get people thinking," said the agency's Monica Heath, noting that 1,300 people in northeast Ohio are waiting for organs.

Councilman Matthew Zone wasn't laughing.

"I think it sends the wrong message to the average Joe citizen," said Zone.

"Just because you participate in a unique program as precious as donating an organ doesn't mean (you) should be given preferential treatment," he said.

Heath said the campaign includes 33 billboards in Cuyahoga County and 30-second radio spots that will air through August.

"Anecdotally, the response has been very positive," she said.

A billboard at another Cleveland location points to a woman's weight listed on her driver's license.

"A lie," it says. "But we'll forgive you," it adds, pointing to the donor insignia.

Shirpaul McLaughlin, who works across from the billboard displaying the speeder's license, said she thinks the campaign is necessary to draw attention to an organ shortage.

"I think it's a good campaign." But, she said, gesturing across the street, "that one might be a bit misleading - like police are going to give you a break," she said, chuckling.

Lt. Wayne Drummond, a Cleveland police spokesman, said he had no problem with the billboard, but people shouldn't get the wrong idea.

While patrol officers have discretion in ticket writing, "in my experience, it's not typical to give someone a break because they're an organ donor," he said.

University Hospitals' Dr. Roslyn Yomtovian, LifeBanc board trustee, said she doesn't think being an organ donor should exempt one from traffic tickets. "No one is saying that's how it should be. They're designed to get people's attention," she said.

"Organ donation is a tremendously difficult challenge," said Yomtovian, director of the hospital's blood bank. "Any way the message can be delivered that's important and that's what they're trying to do."