ARTICLE I
Membership
Section 1. The following shall be eligible for membership
based upon the below membership categories in this Corporation:
General Membership
1. All persons who
are members in good standing of the Iowa Peace Officers Association, (aka-Iowa
Chiefs of Police and Peace Officers), the predecessor of this Corporation, as
shown by the books of the Secretary/Treasurer of said Association, on the day
of the date of this Corporation becomes a body corporate under the laws of the
State of Iowa.
2. Persons
regularly employed as Peace Officers as defined in Iowa Code section 801.4.
3. Federal Law
Enforcement Officers.
4. Railway and
Express Company Police Captains, Lieutenants and Special Agents, who have
control of the supervision of protection of their companies within the State of
Iowa.
5. Reserve Peace
Officers certified by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy per Iowa Code,
Chapter 80D.
Associate Member (Non-Voting)
Any person of good character and standing or any reputable
business who wishes to support this Corporation and its causes.
Section 2. Application for membership in this Corporation
shall be made to the Secretary/Treasurer of said Corporation. Such application
shall contain information which will establish the applicant’s eligibility for
membership in this Corporation and shall be accompanied the dues for the first
year of membership, unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors. This
fee and dues will be returned in case the applicant is not accepted to
membership.
Section 3. It shall be the duty of the Secretary/Treasurer
to investigate the applicant for membership of anyone desiring to become a
member of this Corporation. He shall make inquiry as to the applicant’s
qualifications and secure any other information he may deem necessary or
pertinent and refer such application and a report of his investigation thereon
to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may review such applications
and the report of the Secretary/Treasurer thereon and shall determine whether
the applicant qualifies for membership in this Corporation. If the Board of
Directors determines that the applicant qualifies for membership in this
Corporation, it shall proceed to elect the applicant to membership in this
Corporation.
If the Board of Directors finds that the applicant does not
qualify for membership in this Corporation, the applicant shall be rejected and
the moneys accompanying such application shall be refunded to the applicant.
Section 4. Only general members have full membership
privileges having the ability to attend, make motions, and vote at business
meetings and receive death or other benefits of this Corporation. All other
memberships are associate non-binding memberships.
Section 5. Every person who shall have served as President
of the Board of Directors of this Corporation, or of the Iowa Association of
Chiefs of Police and Peace Officers, the predecessor of this Corporation, and
who shall have served at least one full term as the term as the President of
either thereof, for the remainder of his/her life without the payment of any
dues, assessments or charges therefore and, as such shall be deemed for all
purposes to be a member in good standing of this Corporation pursuant to the
provisions of the Articles of Corporation and by-laws of this Corporation and
shall be fully entitled to all rights and privileges thereunto pertaining,
provided, however, that such person may be dropped from the membership in the
Corporation or his membership may be canceled in accordance with the provisions
of Sections 3 and 5 of Article III of these by-laws.
ARTICLE II
Dues and Fees
Section 1. The fees for membership in this Corporation shall
be recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by the members of the
Corporation at the Annual Meeting. Dues are payable the first day of September
1985 and each first day of September thereafter. The Board of Directors, by
majority vote, may waive the membership fees.
Section 2. If dues are not paid within sixty days after they
become due, the member shall be declared delinquent and shall be dropped from
membership and shall not be entitled to or receive any of the benefits of
membership of this Corporation, provided, however, that if any member of this
Corporation in good standing enter the Armed Forces of the United States during
the time of war or other National emergency he shall be carried as a member in
good standing without payment of dues. Any member of this Corporation in the
Armed Forces of the United States shall be carried only to the termination of
the fiscal year following the cessation of hostilities of the termination of
such other National emergency by not less than six months.
Section 3. Any member of this Corporation who becomes
delinquent and has been dropped from membership in said Corporation may be
reinstated by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, or after all dues
which are in arrears have been paid.
Section 4. The Board of Directors may recommend rules and
fees for the establishment of lifetime memberships which must be approved by
the members of the Corporation at the Annual Meeting. Such paid up lifetime
memberships shall entitle the member to all rights and benefits of the
Corporation.
To be
eligible for IPOA Lifetime Membership:
1.Lifetime Membership
in the IPOA will only be available to Retired members that meet the following
criteria.
2. Before retirement,
was a regular member of the IPOA for an aggregate of 22 years or more.
3. Has a
non-forfeitable right to retirement benefits with the law enforcement agency
they retired from and is eligible to begin receiving retirement benefits immediately.
4. The cost to
purchase a Lifetime Membership in the IPOA is $200.
Note: Reserve officers are not eligible for a Lifetime
Membership.
ARTICLE III
Conditions of Membership
Section 1. Any person who is over fifty-five (55) years of
age or who has failed to become a general member of this Corporation within
five (5) years after becoming eligible for membership therein may submit
application; however, such membership shall not include the Death Benefit.
Under special circumstances, the Board of Directors, in its discretion may be a
majority vote, waive this provision and grant an unrestricted membership.
Section 2. Any general member of this Corporation with less
than fifteen (15) years of continuous membership, in this Corporation who
resigns, transfers, or is discharged or removed from such employment as
qualifies him for membership in this Corporation, except those who become
retired from such employment shall at the time of such resignation, transfer,
discharge or removal, shall be automatically dropped from membership in this
Corporation, provided, however, that any such general member holding Civil
Service or other statutory rights in the Police Department in which he is
employed shall not be considered for the purpose of this section, as being
discharged or removed from such employment until such discharge or removal is
affirmed by a Civil Service Commission or other body having jurisdiction,
unless such discharged or removed person fails to appeal his discharge or
removal within the time limit specified by law for filing such appeal or within
thirty days after such discharge or removal, if no time limit be so specified.
Section 3. No one shall be admitted to membership in this
Corporation who has been convicted of a felony. Any member of this Corporation
convicted of a felony shall at the time of such conviction be automatically
dropped from membership in this Corporation, provided, however, that such
membership shall be reinstated if the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals of the
State of Iowa refuses to confirm such conviction in the event an appeal is
taken there from.
Section 4. No one may become a member of this Corporation,
except in accordance with the provisions of the Articles of Corporation and the
by-laws of this Corporation.
Section 5. The Board of Directors shall make appropriate
investigation of any disrupting activity of any member or members of this
Corporation accused of being disloyal to this Corporation or its objects and
purposes, and it shall be the duty of the Board of Directors of this
Corporation upon finding by it, after notice in such writing to such person so
accused and public hearing on such charges before and by said Board of
Directors, that such member has been disloyal to the objects and purposes of
the Corporation or has engaged any activities disrupting or inimical to the
best interests of this Corporation, to instruct the Secretary/Treasurer to
refuse to accept the membership dues and to forthwith cancel the membership of
such individuals in this Corporation.
Section 6. The Board of Directors shall have the power to
revoke the membership of any person at any time who is found to be ineligible
for membership in this Corporation.
ARTICLE IV
Board of Directors
Section 1. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall
be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall consist of 9 people
to include the President and Vice President.
Every effort should be made to provide that Board of Director's membership
is based upon representation of all population and aspects of the Iowa Law
Enforcement Community. No more than two Board of Directors may serve from any
one law enforcement agency.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall be elected by a
majority vote of the members at the Annual Meeting. Directors shall be
appointed to serve a two-year term and are permitted to serve successive terms.
See Article IV, Section 10 for filling a Board position if a resignation
occurs.
Section 4. Any member of the Corporation who has been a
member in good standing for at least two years, except associate members, shall
be eligible to hold an office of Director in this Corporation.
Section 5. In the filling of any vacancy in any office of
the Corporation, a majority vote of the Directors present and voting at a duly
called meeting of the Board of Directors shall elect, provided, notice of the
filling of the vacancy is given to each Director in writing not less than three
days preceding the date of such meeting. In the absence of such a notice, an
affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors shall be necessary to
elect.
Section 6. The Board of Directors shall meet preceding to or
upon adjournment of each Annual Meeting of this Corporation and at other times
upon the call of the President or upon the request of three members of the
Board of Directors.
Section 7. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be
called at any time by the President by giving notice of the time, place and
purpose of such meeting in person or in writing to the members of the Board of
Directors not less than three days before the date of such meeting, and shall
be called by him/her at any time upon request therefore by any three of the
Directors and, in case of his neglect or refusal to call such a meeting within
three days of when so requested, any three of the Directors may join in a call
of such a meeting of the Board of Directors and such meeting, when so called by
giving notice of the time, place and purposes of such meeting in person or in
writing to each Director not less than three days before the date of such
meeting, shall be the same as though called by the President.
Section 8. The Board of Directors shall have and exercise
all of the powers and authority over the affairs of the Corporation between
Annual Meetings of the members of the Corporations, except with respect to such
power and authority as may be otherwise delegated not inconsistent with the
Articles of Corporation and the by-laws of this Corporation, by duly adopted
resolution of the members of the Corporation in Annual Meeting duly assembled.
Section 9. The Board of Directors may not modify any action
taken by the general membership of the Corporation at the Annual Meeting duly
assembled unless specifically authorized by these by-laws.
Section 10. Any Director may resign at any time by
delivering written notice to the President, the Board, or the Corporation. A
resignation is effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice
specifies a later effective date. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of
Directors shall be filled by a majority vote of the Directors (see Article VII
Section 2). The Director elected to fill a vacancy shall be elected for the
unexpired term of the Director's predecessor in Office.
Section 11. Directors shall make every effort to attend all
meetings of the Corporation including Board Meetings, Annual Meetings, and any
Special Meetings called by the Directors. A Director who fails to take part in
three consecutive meetings without prior arrangements will result in a status
review by the Board of Directors. The review may result in the removal from the
Board by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors.
Section 12. The IPOA acknowledges the right of our members
to engage in political campaign activity in their individual capacity and
encourages Members to participate in the political process. However, as a
non-profit organization the IPOA is prohibited by State and Federal Laws from
directly or indirectly engaging in certain types of political activity.
Therefore, All Association Members are prohibited from using their official
affiliation with the IPOA when participating in any political activity in their
individual capacity, including political endorsements. Upon request, candidates
will be offered a reasonable opportunity to share their agenda and concerns to
the membership through the Iowa Law Enforcement Magazine.
ARTICLE V
Officers
Section 1. The Officers of this Corporation shall consist of
the President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer. Any current Board
member having completed at least one full term (two years) on the Board of
Directors is eligible to serve as President or Vice President.
Section 2. The President shall be appointed by the Board of
Directors by nomination and majority vote. The President will serve a two-year
term unless removed by a motion and majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Upon completion of a Presidency, the President shall serve in the position of
Past President for two years. The President shall appoint a Vice President that
will serve as such during the President’s term.
Section 3. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be appointed by the
Board with a majority of the Board and hold an indefinite term as an employee
of the Corporation unless or until removed by a majority vote of the Board of
Directors.
Section 4. A President may be appointed for no more than two
consecutive terms for a total of 4 years as President.
Section 5. The Board of Directors will replace any vacancies
of President or Secretary/Treasurer with a nomination and a majority vote of the
Board of Directors.
Section 6. The principal duties of the President shall be to
preside at the meetings of the members of the Corporation and the Board of
Directors and to have general supervision of the business affairs of the
Corporation, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board of
Directors, and to perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from
time to time direct.
S/He shall sign on behalf of this Corporation all contracts
and other instruments in writing which have been first approved by the Board of
Directors.
S/He shall have general charge and supervision of all the
Officers and employees of the Corporation, and, in all cases where the duties
of the subordinate officers and agents of the Corporation are not specifically prescribed
by the by-laws or by the Board of Directors, such officers and agents shall be
governed by the orders and instructions of the President.
Section 7. The principal duties of the Vice President shall
be to discharge the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the
latter, and he shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as
shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors.
Section 8. In the absence or disability of the President and
the Vice President, the Past President shall discharge the duties of the
President. If the absence or disability of the President last longer than 60
days, the Board of Directors may elect by nomination and majority vote a new
President.
Section 9. The principal duties of the Secretary/Treasurer
shall be to countersign all instruments in writing executed in behalf of this
Corporation and to keep a record of the proceedings of the meetings of the
members and the Board of Directors of this Corporation to safely and
systematically keep all books, papers, records and documents belonging to the
Corporation or in any wise pertaining to the business of the Corporation. The Secretary/Treasurer shall also perform
the following duties:
1. Keep an accurate
record of all members and of the beneficiaries named by them. As soon after the
first of November as is possible, the Secretary/Treasurer shall notify those
who are in arrears in the payment of dues that they are delinquent and that
they are to be dropped from membership. He/she shall report to the Board of
Directors on or before the first day of January, the names of all members
delinquent in the payment of dues as of the first day of the month of November
preceding and he shall report to the Board of Directors the names of any member
becoming ineligible for membership in the Corporation as soon as he shall have
knowledge of the same.
2. Actively assist
with any program of the Corporation for the improvement of the laws and the
enforcement thereof and shall attempt from time to time, to determine the opinion
of the membership relative thereto and shall report the findings in this report
at the Annual Meeting of the members for their consideration.
3. Assist in the
planning of trainings conducted for Peace Officers under the sponsorship of
this Corporation, including the Annual Meeting and trainings of the
Corporation.
4. Furnish a
certificate of membership to all persons elected to membership in the
Corporation.
5. Submit at each
Annual Meeting a report in writing of his official acts during the year preceding
the convention. He shall perform such additional and different duties as from
time to time shall be imposed or required by the Board of Directors.
6. Keep and account for all moneys, credits and property of
the Corporation which shall come into his hands and to keep an accurate account
of all moneys received and disbursed and proper vouchers for moneys disbursed
and to render such accounts, statements and inventories of moneys received and
disbursed and of money and property on hand and generally of all matters
pertaining to this office as shall be required by the Board of Directors.
7. Issue and sign all
checks drawn on the Corporation’s funds. He/she shall furnish monthly, to each
Board Member, a statement of all receipts and expenditures and the balance of
all corporate funds and shall prepare a financial statement for presentation at
the Annual Meeting.
8. Perform such
additional or different duties as from time to time shall be imposed or
required by the Board of Directors.
All amendments to the Articles of Corporation, or the
by-laws, or legislative actions, shall be presented electronically or in
writing to the Secretary/Treasurer as well, at least 45 days prior to the
Annual Meeting of each given year, and the Secretary/Treasurer in turn shall at
least 20 days prior to the Annual Meeting of each given year, furnish to all
members information setting out each
resolution of the contemplated changes in the articles of Corporation, by-laws,
or legislative actions. This information shall be furnished to the members by
being published in the Corporation’s quarterly publication and/or posted on the
Corporation’s web page.
Section 10. The Secretary/Treasurer shall receive for their
services a salary as determined and fixed by the members of the Corporation at
the Annual Meeting and the amount of
salary shall continue until changed, except the Board of Directors may reduce,
but not increase, the salary as established at
the Annual Meeting.
Section 11. In addition to the above enumerated powers and duties,
the officers of this Corporation shall have and exercise the powers and duties
generally as provided in Robert’s Rules of Order not inconsistent with the
provisions of these by-laws or resolutions of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI
Committees
Section 1. The President shall appoint two members of this
Corporation who, together with the Secretary/Treasurer of this Corporation as Chairperson
shall act as a Credentials Committee. This Committee shall examine the register
of the Annual Meeting and determine who of those registered are members in good
standing and entitled to vote and hold office.
Section 2. The Executive Committee will be made up of the
President, Vice President, Past President, Secretary Treasurer. The Executive
Committee is authorized to conduct the day-to-day operations of the Board of
Directors and will report to the Board of Directors of this Corporation.
Section 3. The President, with the approval of a majority of
the Board of Directors, shall name and appoint from the general membership a
chair for ad-hoc internal committees as needed such as: Communications/Publications,
Finance/Membership, By Laws, Legislative, and Conference and Training. The
Board will also establish applicable limits and deadlines for the ad hoc
committee being formed. All work-products, expenses, contracts, public
statements, and legislative resolutions will need prior approval by the
majority vote from the Board of Directors before implementation.
Section 4. External Committee Positions to Represent the
Iowa Peace Officers Association: Our association is periodically invited to
participate on other public-safety related committees or advisory boards.
Candidates for these external positions must be general members. The candidate
must be nominated and approved by majority vote to the Board of Directors. If
the candidate is approved by the Board, the President will then submit the
member’s name and background to the external committee chair. It is up to the
external committee to determine any additional application or review
procedures.
Section 5. Committee members serve at the discretion of the
Board. The Board may assign or reassign members as needed to meet the needs of
the Iowa Peace Officers Association.
ARTICLE VII
Annual Meetings
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall hold an Annual
Meeting each year with a notice of such meeting communicated electronically or
in writing to the general membership that will include date, time, and location
of the meeting no less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to this meeting.
This meeting may include or be a part of other training or social events
sponsored by the Board of Directors. Occasionally, the Annual Meeting may need
to be done virtually or by some other media if circumstances warrant.
Section 2. Directors shall be elected by a majority vote of
the members present at the Annual
Meeting. Any Director appointed during the year by the Board to fulfill an
unexpired term shall be ratified by general membership by a majority vote of
members present (see Article IV, Section 10). During the Annual Meeting other
business may be transacted when properly presented at such a meeting.
ARTICLE VIII
Authorized Expenditures
Section 1. All the expenses of the Annual Meetings and
training sessions and all other authorized expenditures shall be paid from the
general treasury of the Corporation.
Section 2. All necessary and reasonable expenses, plus a
mileage allowance, as established by the Board which is not to exceed the rate
set by the State of Iowa for all official travel, shall be paid to the members
of the Board of Directors for every meeting they are called upon to and do
attend. Appointed Committee Members may be reimbursed for the meetings they are
called upon and do attend subject to Board approval by majority vote.
Section 3. The Board of Directors may make or authorize the
making of all expenditures reasonable and necessary for the Board member
attendance at any event or conference.
Section 4. The Board of Directors may make or authorize the
making of all expenditures reasonable and necessary for the proper promotion
and conducting of any event this Corporation may sponsor.
Section 5. The Executive Committee is authorized to make
expenditures necessary for the day-to-day operation of the Corporation, to
include liability insurance for the Association that may exceed the $2,000
spending limit. All other expenditure of over two thousand (2000.00) dollars
must have the affirmative vote of majority members of the Board of Directors
who are present at any board meeting and a report of the expenditure must be
made at the next Annual Meeting.
Section 6. No member of the Board of Directors or any member
assigned to a committee of this Corporation will receive any compensation from
this Corporation for duties and work conducted for this Corporation. This does not include the Secretary/Treasurer
or other positions set out by the board of directors with the status of
Corporation employee. This also does not include due reimbursement or upfront
expense payments to board and committee members for expenses occurred and as
set out by other sections within these by-laws.
ARTICLE IX
Death Benefits
Section 1. The
Secretary/Treasurer of this Corporation, upon timely authoritative
information of the death of any general or lifetime member in good standing,
shall pay to such designated beneficiary as has been named by such member, a
sum of money in such an amount as from time to time shall be fixed by the Board
of Directors, but not in excess of the amount of five hundred dollars (500.00),
as a donation to assist in the defrayment of the expenses of the burial of such
deceased member.
Section 2. Timely authoritative information will usually
consist of a copy of an obituary and or death certificate. The Secretary /
Treasurer may enlist additional means to verify accuracy, if needed. To be
timely, the authoritative information must be received by the Secretary /
Treasurer within 1 year of the date of recorded death.
Section 3. Designated Beneficiary: It is the member’s
responsibility to designate a beneficiary for the death benefit when joining
the Iowa Peace Officers Association. It is also the member’s responsibility to
review, update contact information, or change the designated beneficiary
information when applicable with the Secretary/Treasurer. The
Secretary/Treasurer must rely on the information provided by the member prior
to his or her death. The member-provided information on file with the
Secretary/Treasurer will be considered the designated beneficiary.
Section 4. In the event, a designated beneficiary is unable
to be located or has died within the actionable time period of notice to the
Secretary/Treasurer, the Executive Committee will meet to approve a course of
action.
ARTICLE X
Fiscal Year
The Fiscal Year of this Corporation shall be from September
1 to August 31, next, both dates inclusive.
ARTICLE XI
These by-laws shall not be amended except by a three-fourths
vote of the members of the Corporation present and voting upon the proposal for
amendment at Annual Meeting of the Corporation. No amendment to these by-laws
shall be voted upon unless the amendment has been presented electronically or
in writing to the Secretary/Treasurer of the Corporation at least 45 days prior
to the day on which the vote thereon is taken.
