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         President      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.