By-Laws for the NCCPAA

New Castle County Police Alumni Association, Inc.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: to continue, promote, foster and develop camaraderie, and fellowship among retired and former sworn police officers and civilian employees of the New Castle County, Delaware Police Department. To serve as a focal point for and facilitate communication between current, retired and former sworn police officers and civilian employees of the New Castle County Delaware Police Department. To work to preserve and enhance the benefits afforded our membership by New Castle County. To educate others with respect to the work and importance of law enforcement generally, and that of the New Castle County, Delaware Police Department, in particular. To work with and in support of the New Castle County, Delaware Police Department and the Fraternal Order of Police, New Castle County Lodge #5, Delaware.

Membership

Types of membership Regular (Charter), Associate and Honorary

Regular (Charter) Membership is open to Retired Police Officers of the New Castle County Police Department

Retired member is defined as follows: Full service retirement or service pension eligible (10 yrs. of vested service); Service connected disability; Non-service connected disability and retired in good standing.

Charter member is a regular member that joins during the calendar year of 2005 and pays a one time fee of an additional twenty-five dollars. Charter member will be inscribed on their membership card.

Associate member is defined as follows: Active New Castle County Police Officer; Former New Castle County Police Officer that resigned in good standing and is not pension eligible; Active or former civilian employees of the New Castle County Police Dept.; Graduates of the New Castle County Citizens Police Academy. Associate members may attend regular membership meetings and participate in all Alumni activities. Associate members shall not be able to vote at membership meetings nor in Alumni elections. Associate members shall pay the same dues as Regular members.

Honorary Membership is a special category created to accommodate widows and widowers of retired and active NCCPD Officers. Citizens whose good deeds or actions have contributed to the general benefit of the Law Enforcement Community may also be awarded Honorary Membership. Such citizens must be nominated in writing to the Board of Directors. If approved by the majority of the BOD, the nomination shall be brought before the next general membership meeting. If approved by the majority of voting members present, Honorary Membership shall be conferred. Honorary members shall have the same rights and privileges as an Associate member. Honorary members shall pay the same dues as Regular member unless it is waived by the BOD and so approved by the membership.

No applicant shall be accepted for membership that has been convicted of a felony, or a misdemeanor crime that involves official misconduct in connection with their employment with the New Castle County Police Department.

Application for membership shall be made on a prescribed form supplied by the Association and handed to any member of the Board of Directors or mailed to the Association's address. Applications for membership are subject to review and approval of the Board of Directors. However, applicants denied membership by the BOD may request a vote by the body on their application at the next scheduled regular membership meeting.

Membership Dues - dues for regular membership in the Association shall be fixed at $25.00 and is payable at the beginning of the year. The fiscal year will run from January 1 to December 31. There will be a grace period beginning each year on January 1 and ending on March 31. If a member's dues are not paid by March 31, their membership will be suspended.

Privileges

A regular member in good standing is entitled to the following privileges:

1.      Voting at general membership meetings

2.      Voting at general elections

3.      Receive an up-to-date membership directory

4.      Receive all regular and special communications.

Organization

Board of Directors (Executive Board) - composition and term limits

President - Chair all Board of Directors meetings and general membership meetings; serves as the Chief Executive Officer; appoints committees as needed; has the authority to resolve disputes, dissolve committees and replace committee chairmen and members.

Vice President - Assumes the duties of the President when directed to do so by the President or upon the President vacating his position; assume other duties and responsibilities as directed by the President.

Second Vice President - Assumes responsibilities for internal communication within the association, such as the newsletter; responsible for outside communication such as the association's web site; and will also be responsible for public relations, generating publicity as needed.

Recording Secretary - Records and maintains minutes of all Executive Board, General Membership and Special meetings; Records attendance at such meetings; maintains other records as directed by the President; writes any correspondence as directed; maintains a file of all correspondence. The Recording Secretary will be responsible for the updating and maintenance of the Bylaws.

Treasurer - Maintains the financial records of the association; manages the funds of the association; submits a written treasurer's report at the general meetings; maintains a current list of all association members; coordinates the collection of dues;

Chaplain - shall serve at the direction of the President; shall be present at Board meetings as well as membership meetings; shall represent the association to families of deceased members and attend to personal needs whenever possible. Will write and mail cards to the sick; will chair the Benevolence Committee.

Historian - shall serve at the direction of the President; shall be present at Board meetings as well as membership meetings; shall chair the Historical Committee.

Past President/s - shall be a voting member and serve in an advisory capacity to the President and the Board and perform any other duties assigned. (amended - 06/11/2009)

Trustees (6) - shall serve at the direction of the President; shall be present at Board meetings as well as the membership meeting and prepared to vote on matters of interest.

Eligibility

Any regular member of the association, in good standing, will be eligible to hold office.

Term Limits

The President, Vice President and Second Vice President, Recording Secretary and Historian, Treasurer, Chaplain and the Trustees shall serve for a two-year term.

Nominations and Elections

The President shall appoint an Election Committee 60 days in advance of the election for the purpose of nominating a slate of officers for the coming term. Election of officers will be held at the annual Spring meeting in odd numbered years. The slate of candidates will be published 30 days in advance of the election. Voting members that are medically incapacitated, or reside outside the State of Delaware may vote by absentee ballot or proxy. Guidelines for voting shall be set by the Election Committee.

Meetings

Organizational meeting: The Alumni shall hold their first organizational meeting in the Spring of 2005. Retirees may make application for membership prior to or at said meeting. The meeting is restricted to retirees only. Once assembled, and chaired by the interim President, the membership roll complied by the interim Secretary will be read. Members will than review and adopt the proposed By-laws by a majority vote of hands. If members fail to approve the By-laws, than another organizational meeting will be scheduled in order to make a new proposed set of By-laws.

Once the By-laws are adopted, the next order of business will be elections. Nominations shall be made from the floor and do not require a second. Contested elections will require a ballot vote under conditions specified by the chair.

Upon completion of elections, the elected President shall dictate the remaining course of business. The next membership meeting shall be deemed the Association's first General meeting and be open to all classes of membership.

General membership There shall be three general membership meetings annually. One held in the Spring, one in the Fall and one in the Winter. A quorum of ten charter and /or regular members is required to be in attendance at the start of the meeting.

Board of Directors The Board of Directors will meet on an as needed basis, determined by the President. A quorum of four members is required to be in attendance or in contact by direct telecommunication. Votes on expenditures may be approved in person, by fax, direct telecommunication or by e-mail, but require a majority return of favorable votes.

By-Laws and Amendments

Proposed Changes These By-laws may be amended providing that the proposed change be submitted in writing to the BOD. The BOD will either recommend or not recommend the adoption of the proposed change which will be published at least 30 days prior to the next General Membership meeting.

Voting The proposed amendment may be voted on at the General Membership meeting with a show of hands. A 2/3 (two-thirds) majority is required for ratification from the voting members present.

Committees

Standing Committees The President may appoint such committees as (s) he deems necessary, however the following are considered to be ongoing. Committee members shall be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Vice President. Chairs shall be designated by the President unless specified in the By-laws.

Historical Committee

a.      Chaired by the Historian, the Historical Committee shall compile a list of retired New Castle County Police Officers, their dates of service and if deceased, their date of death.

b.      The committee shall compile information on the history of the New Castle County Police Department for the Alumni web site.

c.      The committee shall compile photographs for the Alumni web site.

Benevolence Committee

A committee of volunteers, chaired by the Chaplain, who will work closely with the association Chaplain in communicating with and providing assistance to Association members who are hospitalized or otherwise incapacitated. The Chaplain will ensure that a sufficient number of volunteers exist in all parts of the county. Funds will be allocated each year for flowers, cards, etc.

Awards Committee

The Awards Committee shall develop and recommend awards to be given by the Association.

Recruiting Committee

A committee to coordinate efforts with the department to ensure retiring employees and other eligible employees know about the Association's mission.

Benefits Committee

A committee to review and recommend any changes to the benefits currently derived from New Castle County including pension and health care.

Public Relations

A committee to develop and assist in the implementation of a positive public relations effort with the media, New Castle County and the community at large.

Fund Raising

The Fund Raising Committee shall develop and implement fund raising activities for the Association.

Parliamentary Procedure

Except as provided in the Bylaws the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct and deliberations of all Alumni meetings.

Dissolution

Disposal of Assets In the event that the Association is dissolved, for whatever reason, any and all assets will be donated to police related charity as determined by the BOD.

Expenditures

The Association shall maintain a checking account which shall require two signatures. The President, Treasurer and two other BOD shall be authorized signers for Association checks. Expenses up to $200.00 may be approved by the President and Treasurer. Expenses over $200.00 must be approved by a majority vote of the BOD. All expenses shall be reported to the membership at the next General membership meeting.

Audit

An annual audit shall be required prior to the annual Fall meeting. Such report will be available to any member in good standing upon request.

Misconduct

No member shall exhibit such conduct that is detrimental to the best interest and well being of the NCCPAA as determined by the Board of Directors. Any such action shall be acted on accordingly by the BOD. The member upon who such action has been taken has the right to appeal any such action to the next Regular membership meeting. The General membership can than either confirm the BOD's action or overrule the BOD by a 2/3 two- thirds vote of the voting members present.

Last edited on June 5, 2005