Mission Statement:

The purpose of the Florida Internal Affairs Investigators 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 and other government agencies in the founding and continued development of Internal Affairs Investigative Units and assignments; and to foster law enforcement cooperation and the exchange of information and experience among Internal Affairs Investigators throughout the State of Florida.

PROFESSIONAL
I.A.
STANDARDS


THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

OF THE

FLORIDA INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATORS ASSOCIATION.

 

Article I

Section 1 - This organization shall be known as the Florida Internal Affairs Investigators Association.

The purpose of the Florida Internal Affairs Investigators 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 and other government agencies in the founding and continued development of Internal Affairs Investigative Units and assignments; and to foster law enforcement cooperation and the exchange of information and experience among Internal Affairs Investigators throughout the State of Florida.

Article II

Section 1 - Membership – Membership in this Association shall consist of three classes: Active, Associate, and Honorary.

Active Membership shall consist of municipal, county and state law enforcement officers, other law enforcement and correctional agency members, and other governmental agencies that conduct internal affairs investigations and provide direct review and/or supervision of the investigations. Candidates for membership shall be approved by the Executive Committee.

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: law enforcement officers, correctional officers, investigators from other government agencies, full-time police attorneys, members of criminal justice training academies; members and assistant directors of criminal justice training and standards councils or commissions; 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 Committee.

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 Committee 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 is permitted per department on issues. Member 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. If exigent circumstances prevent an elected officer from serving a full term, the President shall appoint an interim officer to complete the term of the position that is vacated.

Section 3 - Nominations for offices 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 - Duties of Officers

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.

Vice President – In cases of death, resignation, removal, suspension, inability to serve or absence of the President, the Vice President shall serve as President. The Vice President shall also provide direct assistance to the President in the performance of his/her duties.

Secretary-Treasurer – The Secretary-Treasurer shall collect all monies and, with approval of the President, shall disperse any necessary funds, and make an accounting of such funds at the regular annual conference. He/She shall place all unexpended money in a fund to a 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 relating thereto. When a new Secretary-Treasurer is elected to the Association they shall within sixty days after receiving the financial records, have an audit made of that account. The results of that 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.

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. In addition, there shall be Nine (9) appointed members. The term of the office of each appointed member shall be two (2) years, 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 an advisor to the Executive Committee for a period of (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 all 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 confer at least two (2) other times during the year, as called by the President, or a majority of the members of the Committee. A majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Notice of these meetings shall be given at least two (2) weeks in advance.
 

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 proposed 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:
Calling the Association to order.
Roll call of officers.
Reading of minutes of previous meeting.
Nomination & election of officers and selection of next meeting site.
Bills and Communications.
Reports of the Executive Committee.
Reports of Special Committees
Old business.
New Business.
Swearing in of officers.
Adjournment.

Section 3 - In the event 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.

revised July 2, 2002