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THE CONSTITUTION AND
BY-LAWS OF THE GEORGIA INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATOR'S ASSOCIATION
Article I
Section 1
This organization shall be known as the Georgia Internal
Affairs Investigator’s Association.
The purpose of the Georgia Internal Affairs
Investigator’s Association shall be to develop and establish uniform
professional standards of performance and integrity for internal affairs
investigators; to provide training to bring about professional growth and
development ; to present a forum for discussion of common problems and current
court decisions; to gather and disseminate information regarding improved
administrative and technical practices; to assist law enforcement agencies in
the founding and continued development of Internal Affairs Units or assignments;
and to foster law enforcement cooperation and the exchange of information and
experience among Internal Affairs Investigators throughout the state of Georgia.
Article II
Section 1
Membership – Membership in this Association shall consist
of three classes: Active – Associate – Honorary
Active Membership
shall consist of municipal, county and state law enforcement officers and other
P.O.S.T. certified agency members who conduct internal affairs investigations
and/or provide direct review of the investigations. Candidates for agency
membership shall be approved by the Executive Committee. Members shall be
actively employed at a department of public safety agency.
Associate Membership
shall have all the
privileges of Active Membership, to be a dues paying membership but shall be a
non – voting member. It shall include members as follows: Full-time police
attorneys, members of the criminal justice training academies; members of an
Attorney General’s office; and former active members retired from law
enforcement. Association membership shall not be extended to personnel engaged
in for-hire services such as merchant patrols, private detectives, security
guards and similar services. Associate Membership shall be approved by the
Executive Board.
Honorary Membership
shall consist of those persons who have
contributed to the improvement and advancement of the Association or to the
improvement of ethical standards in law enforcement in support of Internal
Affairs Units or assignments. Nomination of persons for Honorary Membership
shall be submitted by an active or associate member to the Executive Committee
together with a description of the individual’s contributions for review and
approval. Honorary Membership shall be permanent and if a need shall arise, the
Executive Board will review and have the authority to revoke such membership for
cause.
Section 2
Voting Only active members shall have the right to vote and only one vote per
department on issues. Members departments will be allowed to caucus for a few
minutes before voting.
Article III
Section 1
Elected Officers
of the Association The elected officers of the Association shall consist of a
President, Vice President, Secretary–Treasurer and a Chaplain who are active
members of the Association. They shall be elected at the annual conference and
shall assume office at the conclusion of the conference.
Section 2
The term of
office for the elected officers shall be two (2) years from the date of
election. The President, Vice-President and Chaplain shall be voted on in the
even number years. The Secretary-Treasurer will be voted on during the odd
number years. Officers may serve in his/her elected position for two (2)
consecutive terms. Members are eligible to run for a previously held position
after waiting one term.
Section 3
Nominations for officers shall be made from
the floor at the annual conference.
Section 4
If a vacancy occurs in any office, other than President during the term of
office, it shall be filled by the Executive Committee for the balance of the
term.
Article IV
Section 1
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association. In conducting
meetings of the Association, his/her decision shall be final unless otherwise
provided for by this Constitution. His/her decision may be reversed by
two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership present at the regular annual
conference. He/she shall appoint pro-tem officers in cases of absentees. If in
the opinion of the President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, as
occasions or circumstances shall warrant calling a special meeting, he/she shall
have the authority to call such a meeting and shall notify the membership of the
date, time and place of such special meetings and the purpose of same. The
President shall be a member of all committees.
Section 2
Vice President In cases of death, resignation, removal, suspension, inability to
serve or absence of the President, the Vice President shall serve as President.
Section 3
Secretary –
Treasurer The Secretary–Treasurer shall collect all monies and, with approval of
the President, or his/her designee, shall disperse any necessary funds, and make
an accounting of such funds at the regular Annual Conference. He/she shall
palace all unexpended money in a fund to credit of the Association. He/she shall
perform all other duties required of him/her by the President of the
Association. It shall be the duty of the Secretary – Treasurer to keep a record
of all proceedings of the Association and file all documents and minutes
thereto. When a new Secretary – Treasurer is elected to the Association they
shall, within sixty (60) days after receiving the financial records, have an
audit made of the account. The results of the audit will then be reported at the
next regular meeting of the Association unless there is some irregularity.
Should there be some irregularity, the Secretary – Treasurer shall notify all
the officers and committee members immediately.
Section 4
Chaplain The Chaplain
shall open and close the annual conference with prayer, and shall perform other
benevolent duties assigned by the Association’s Officers and the Executive
Committee.
Article V
Section 1
Executive Committee The Executive Committee shall
consist of the elected officers of the Association. Additionally, the President
shall appoint the number of Executive Committee members that he/she determines
needed to fulfill organizational goals. Should the number of Executive Committee
members be an even number, the President shall cast the deciding vote. The term
of the office of each appointed member shall be (1) year, and each President, on
taking office, shall appoint the members to the vacant positions on the
Executive Committee, providing he/she is eligible. The retiring President shall
be a member of the Executive Committee for a period of one (1) year. All
Executive Committee members must be active members of the Association. The
President shall act as the Chairman of the Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee shall carry out the instructions of the membership and shall take
necessary steps to carry out the purposes of this Association.
Section 2
Other Committees The President shall have the power from time to time to appoint
such committees necessary to carry on matters for the best interest of the
Association.
Article VI
Section 1
There shall be an annual conference, as set
initially by the President and the Executive Committee, at a place agreed upon
by the Executive Committee at a previous meeting. The location of each
subsequent conference shall be decided upon by a vote by active members present
after cities bidding for the conference are allowed to make a brief
presentation. A quorum for the purpose of transacting business of the
Association shall consist of two-thirds (2/3) of the active members present at
the meeting.
Section 2
The Executive Committee shall meet at the annual
conference of the Association and shall meet at least two (2) other times during
the year. One designated meeting shall be conducted at a South Georgia location,
and one designated meeting shall be conducted at a North Georgia location, as
called by the President, or a majority of the members of the Committee. Said
meetings shall be held in correlation with by-yearly training sessions offered
to all Association members. Notice of said meetings shall be given at least one
(1) month in advance. Training sessions are available to those who are members
or are eligible for membership only.
Article VII
Section 1
Amending Constitution
In order that the Constitution be amended, two –thirds (2/3) of the membership
assembled must vote in favor of the purposed amendment. Amendments may be
proposed by the Executive Committee or by petition of fifteen percent (15%) of
the active membership.
Section 2
Changing By-Laws In order that the by-laws of
this Association be changed, a majority of the membership assembled shall vote
in favor of the proposed change. Proposed changes may be made by the Executive
Committee or by any active member at the annual conference.
By-Laws
Section 1
The annual dues of this Association shall be determined annually by the
Executive Committee.
Section 2
The order of business of the Association shall be
as follows:
1. Calling the Association to order
2. Roll call of officers
3.
Reading of minutes of previous meetings
4. Bills and Communications
5. Reports
of the Executive Committee
6. Reports of special Committees
7. Old business 8.
New business
9. Nomination and election of officers selection of next meeting
site
10. Adjournment
Section 3
In the event that this Association should
disband, all Association monies shall be given to a non-profit law enforcement
related organization with like or similar purposes, and in no case shall any
Association money be given to or for the direct benefit of any individual.
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