• papdca@gmail.com
  • New York & New Jersey

Constitution and By-Laws

PORT AUTHORITY POLICE COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION INC

PREAMBLE

This Association shall be known as the Port Authority Police Columbia Association Inc. and is an affiliation of the Police Officers of any rank of the Port Authority Police Force.

The principle objectives of the Association shall be to maintain a high Standard of integrity, honor and courtesy among members, in order to foster a keen spirit of brotherhood, good fellowship, understanding and cooperation between our members and people of all ethic backgrounds, and to promote a spirit of patriotism by relentlessly opposing all forms of bigotry and bias.

ARTICLE I

MEMBERSHIP:

Application for membership shall be accepted from any eligible member upon written application and accompanied by a fee of TWENTY FIVE ($25) Dollars. Said application to be presented at a regular meeting where it must be approved by a majority vote of the body present. Any member may object to any applicant Stating his reasons.

The unfavorable application will be referred to the Executive Board for investigation who will Submit their findings at the next regular meeting.

SECTION 1:

  1. REGULAR

Any Police Officer of Italian Extraction, upon recommendation of one member in good standing and one elected Officer of this Association shall be eligible for membership.

2. ASSOCIATE

Any Police Officer who cannot be considered for regular membership, may qualify for Associate Membership. A Police Officer shall become an Associate Member upon recommendation of one regular member in good Standing and one elected of this Association. Associate Members cannot attend meetings, vote on any business conducted or transacted by this Association or hold any elected office.

3. RETIRED

Any member who retires due to service retirement or service disability retirement may be granted the honor and privilege of remaining a member of this Association.

A member of good Standing, who has been granted the privilege, will be issued a lifetime membership card without further payment of dues and assessment. Said member cannot vote on any business conducted or transacted by this Association. Said member is not eligible to hold any elected office. An elected officer that retired during his term of office who cannot fulfill his obligation to his office and a member of good Standing Will relinquish his office and a member in good standing will be appointed by the President of this Association to fill the interim term. If the President retires before his elected term is over, he will relinquish the office and the Vice-President will become President.

4. HONORARY

Shall be granted by the by the Board of Trustees of this Association upon the recommendation of any member of good Standing and one elected officer, to any person who by words and /or deeds has helped further the objectives of this Association, with the following restrictions.

Said members and/or revocation of same is at the discretion of the Board of Trustees of this Association

Said members cannot vote on business conducted or Transacted by this Association.

Said member cannot hold elected office or Serve on Committees of this Association.

ARTICLE II

FUNDS

The regular dues of this Association shall be Twenty Five ($25) Dollars per annum payable in advance at the beginning of its fiscal year, which shall be January 1st. All members to enjoy active status i.e. members in good Standing will have the entire month of January for payment of their dues.

DELINQUENT MEMBERS

A delinquent member is one who has failed to pay his dues within three (3) months from the due date. He shall be placed on a list known as Delinquent Members by the Secretary and notified by same. No delinquent member shall receive any Benefits of the organization until such dueS are paid. Delinquent members can become active members upon paying their back dues and at the general meeting may request to be put back to active membership with a majority vote passing it.

SECTION 1:

Any member, who by act of commission, or omission, which is prejudicial to the best interests of its Association, upon presentation of proof of Said act, shall be found guilty by a quorum of the active members present at a meeting, and upon being found guilty shall Suffer a penalty of eight expulsion or days or censure, as directed by membership.

The vote for acquittal, or conviction and sentencing, shall be taken at a meeting following the meeting when the charge is made.

ARTICLE III

OFFICERS DELEGATES, EXECUTIVE BOARD

Officers and Executive Board

The elected officers of this association Shall be:

President, Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasure, Sergeant-at-Arms, Historian, Board of Trustees (6 members)

Section 1:

TERMS OF OFFICE

The term of the officers will be for two (2) years and they may be elected to succeed themselves to the same or any other office by a plurality vote of the body of this association.

Section 2:

PRESIDENT

The President will be the Chief Executive Officer of this Association. He will call a meeting at least once a month. He will preside at all meetings and enforce the laws and objectives of the Association, decide all questions of order, sit as judge, and declare the results of all elections. He Will appoint all committees and Sign all documents. No money will be paid by the treasure, nor will any order for payment be drawn upon without the authorization of the President. He shall be an Ex-officio member.

Excusal or absence due to an emergency or unavoidable circumstances will be determined by the President.

1st  VICE-PRESIDENT

The 1st Vice-President will aid and assist the President in conducting meetings, and in the absence of the President, will preside and will exercise all duties of the President. If for any reason the office of the President should become vacant, the 1st Vice-President will become the President for the remainder of the unexpired term.

2nd VICE-PRESIDENT

The 2nd Vice-President will aid and assist the President in conducting meetings and in related affairs of the Association. In the absence of the President, and 1st Vice-President, the 2nd Vice-President shall have all the powers, duties and responsibilities of the President. In the event of a vacancy in the office of 1st Vice-President, the Second Vice-President will become 1st Vice-President. In the event the office of 2nd Vice-President becomes vacant, it will be filled in accordance with the election procedure.

RECORDING SECRETARY

The Recording secretary will keep and maintain a minute book of this Association. He will keep a typewritten record of all proceedings of all meetings and read all communications, reports, petitions, bills, etc. He shall keep and be held strictly responsible for the correct record of membership. He will forward a copy of the By-Laws to each new member, and keep a record thereof. He will perform all other duties that his office requires as directed by the President or the Board of Trustees.

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

The Corresponding Secretary will deliver to each delegate of their Association, annual due cards, to be delivered to all of the Association, the year, and the names of the President and Recording Secretary. He will also conduct all correspondence, record all applications for membership, note all deaths, retirements, dismissals, and registrations of members of this Association. He shall keep a correct roll, containing the names of the delegates and note all changes of delegates that may be reported to him by the Recording Secretary.

TREASURER

The Treasurer will receive all monites due the Association. He will be chief custodian and disbursing officer of the funds due the Association. He will pay out no money except on order of the President. He will make a report (six copies) every month, one copy to be given to the President, one to the Recording Secretary, which will be entered in the minutes, three copies to the Board of Trustees, and the remainder will be kept for his own records. The books and records of the Treasurer and special committees will be opened for inspection by the President, Board of Trustees or special committees appointed or selected by this Association. At the expiration of his term of office, he will without delay deliver to his successor all books, papers, funds, records and all other property of this Association. He will be responsible for all monites in the Association. He will keep a full and accurate account of each members Standing in the association. No expenditures shall be made from any funds of this Association except by check. Checks must be made and signed by the Treasurer authorizing Such payment and such checks shall be countersigned by either the President or the 1st Vice-President in his absence. The Association reserves the right to increase or decrease the amount of dues and/or assessments to be paid by the members.

SERGEANT- AT- ARMS

It will be the duty of the Sergeant-at-Arms to enforce order at the meetings and permit only duely authorized members to enter the place of meetings. He shall also insure that a quorum is present at each meeting. If the Sergeant-at-Arms is absent, one will be appointed by the President for the meeting. He will also be responsible to know Robert’s Rules of Order which will be in his possession at all meetings.

HISTORIAN

The Historian will gather and keep all pictures and records of important events of the Association.

SECTION 3:

Ten (10) members or more will constitute a Quorum at any regular general membership meeting. At any Executive Board Meeting, there must be five (5) members present to conduct the business of the Association.

SECTION 4:

The regular membership meetings of the Association will be held on the date designated by the President. The President will instruct the Recording Secretary to post copies of the Scheduled meetings at least one week in advance. During the interim the Executive Board will be empowered to act in behalf of the organization.

ARTICLE IV

SECTION 1:

OFFICERS:

Officers will be nominated by the membership at the regular meeting in October. The elections will take place before the regular meeting in November. Offices take effect January 1st.

TRUSTEES:

The names of members will be placed in nomination for the office of Trustee. The Six- (6) members securing the highest ballot count will be elected.

MEMBERS:

No member of this Association will hold more than one office at a time. In the event anyone is nominated for more than one office, he must notify the President as to which office he desires within five (5) days. If absent during this period, he will be notified by the Secretary for which office nominated and he must notify the President, in writing, within five (5) days whether he will accept the nomination.

ARTICLE V

ORDER OF BUSINESS

1) Roll call of officers. 2) Moment of silence for deceased officers in line of duty. 3) Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting. 4) Reading of the bills and communications. 5) Officers reports. 6) Reports of communication. 7) Report of Board of Trustees. 8) Unfinished business. 9) New business. 10) Good and welfare. 11) Motion to adjourn.

SECTION 1:

Robert’s Revised Rules of Order will be a guide in all debates and orders of business when it does not conflict with any established rule or order of the Association.

ARTICLE VI

Amendments, Suspension or Repeal of this Constitution

SECTION 1:

A. Proposed amendments to the constitution and By-Laws must be submitted in writing to the President.

B. A By-Law committee shall be established in February of each year by the President to consider the proposed amendments and make recommendations.

C. The recommendations of the By-Law committee shall be presented to the Executive Board for approval or rejection within three (3) months.

D. All proposed amendments which have been approved by the Executive Board shall be read at three (3) consecutive meetings.

E. If approved at the third general membership meeting, it will be voted upon and if approved it will be adopted by the Port Authority Police Columbia Association.

SECTION 2:

For temporary purposes only, any provision of these By-Laws may be suspended in good cause and for just reasons by a majority Vote of the Executive Board at a regular meeting.