Southern California Association of Fingerprint Officers
Constitution and By-Laws
ARTICLE 1
The name of this Association shall be "The SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF FINGERPRINT OFFICERS," which shall be incorporated under and by virtue of the laws of the State of California, as a non-profit corporation, and is formed for the following purposes:
A. To raise the standard and promote the dignity of the Identification profession.
B. To contribute scientific knowledge to law enforcement investigation.
C. To assist in the prevention of crime.
D. To promote the welfare of the public through identification programs.
E. To gain further knowledge of the equipment, facilities, and assistance available or in use by the various governmental and law enforcement agencies in Southern California so that each officer may have confidence in being able to obtain the answer to any problem through mutual cooperation. F. To increase the efficiency and accuracy of the work of its individual members by bringing to their attention improvements of methods, techniques, and equipment in the field of identification.
G. To promote the social and professional relationship of all persons engaged in any type of scientific identification and investigation work.
H. To increase the value of our relationship by recognizing and promoting the desirable personal uplift that is derived from good fellowship.
ARTICLE 2
ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
The active membership of this Association shall be confined to those bona fide tax-paid law enforcement officers and tax-paid civilian employees of law enforcement agencies who, at the time of their election to membership, are employed in law enforcement and whose duties include fingerprint classification and identification, photography, and/or scientific investigation and identification.
CHANGE OF DUTIES
Should any active member be transferred to duties of a different nature in his/her department, or leave the service on retirement, or in the interest of National Defense it shall not effect his/her status as a member.
SEVERANCE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT
Those active members who have honorably severed their connection with law enforcement agencies may remain as a active member regardless of their subsequent employment, provided said employment is in conformity with the rules of conduct as defined in Article 8.
HONORARY MEMBERSHIPS
Honorary memberships may be conferred on Judges, Sheriffs, Chief of Police, Heads of Law Enforcement Agencies, Wardens of State Prisons, district Attorneys, Present and Past Presidents of the California State Division International Association for Identification, and other qualified individuals selected by a majority of the Executive Committee. Upon admission to membership they shall enjoy all rights and privileges of active members except voting and holding office. Membership cards bearing the inscription "Honorary Member" shall be issued to all such members. No fees shall be charged to Honorary Members, and their membership shall remain in effect as long as they hold any of the qualified positions. Any Honorary Member having the qualifications, and wishing to do so, may become an active member.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Associate Members are those non-tax paid professional men and women engaged in business similar to, or supplying equipment for scientific criminal investigation and identification. College students whose study relates to the forensic sciences including volunteers to a law enforcement agency whose duties relate to the forensic science or criminal justice and volunteers in a law enforcement agency whose duties relate to forensic science are also eligible for associate membership. Upon admission to membership they shall enjoy all rights and privileges of active members except voting and holding office.
LIFE MEMBERS
A life membership shall be granted to all Past Presidents and to recipients of the Charles W. Wolford award. In addition, to active members of this Association who have paid their annual dues for the past twenty-five (25) consecutive years. A membership card bearing the inscription "Life Member" shall be issued to all such members and they shall enjoy the same rights and privileges as active members. They shall receive the newsletter and remain on the mailing list and shall be exempt from the payment of annual dues.
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS
Any Active or Life member in good standing who meets the following requirements may apply to the Executive Board for Distinguished Member status.
Requirements:
Five years of continuous paid membership.
A 50% meeting attendance for each of the five years preceding application for Distinguished Membership status.
Attendance at three (3) of the SCAFO annual training conferences.
Has been a speaker at a SCAFO meeting/conference and has had an original article published in the SCAFO publication, or have done either one twice.
All applicants upon approval by the Executive Board, will be presented a membership certificate designating the individual as a Distinguished Member.
ARTICLE 3
ELECTIVE OFFICERS
The elective officers of the Association shall be:
President
First Vice-President
Second Vice-President
Secretary-Treasurer
Sergeant-At-Arms
Directors (4)
Historian
Editor
Eligibility to hold office shall be restricted to active members in good standing only.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board shall be composed of the above Officers, the immediate past President and Parliamentarian. The meetings of the Executive Board are "closed" and shall be at times and places selected by its members and shall be presided over by the past President, or in his/her absence by the President.
TENURE
The President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Sergeant-At-Arms shall be elected for a term of one (1) year. The Four Directors, Historian and Editor for a term of two (2) years. Two Directors are to be elected at each election, thus alternating two Directors each year.
REMOVAL FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
The President, with the approval of a majority vote of the Executive Board and the Active Members present at a regular meeting, may remove from office an elected officer who fails to perform their assigned duties and obligations; or who fails to act for the good of the Association.
NOMINATIONS
Only Members of the Association who are Active and Life Members in good standing shall be eligible to the elective offices of this Association. Nominations, election, and installation dates shall be determined by the Executive Board at the January Board meeting. Only active members and Life members in good standing may vote at these elections
OATH OF OFFICE
The newly elected Officers shall be collectively administered the following oath of office at the time of their installation. The oath shall be given by a Past-President or other active member as designated by the outgoing President.
"I, (state your name), do hereby acknowledge-- the faith and trust exhibited by the membership--in electing me to office,--I hereby promise -- that as a member of the Executive Committee,--I will execute the duties of my office--to the best of my abilities--in guiding this Association -- toward fulfillment of its goals".
MEETINGS
The meetings of this Association may be conducted in the following order: dinner, calling of the meeting to order, flag salute, reading of the minutes, old business, new business, program, closing (next month's meeting place, etc.) adjournment.
A. Membership meetings are to be determined at the January Executive Board Meeting. The Association must have at least six (6) meetings a year.
B. Special meetings shall be called be the President on his/her own motion or by request of a majority of the Executive Board or upon the written request of ten (10) members of the Association. The reason for such special meeting shall be stated upon the notice of special meeting sent to each member, and only such business as stated shall be transacted at said special meeting.
C. All membership meetings are open, unless announced "closed" by special vote of the membership, or by vote of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE 4
QUORUM
Fifteen (15) active members in attendance including at least six (6) elected officers shall constitute a quorum at all regular meetings of this Association.
ARTICLE 5
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
The immediate PAST-PRESIDENT shall preside as the chairperson at all Executive Board meetings and he shall be advisor to the President.
The PRESIDENT shall preside at all regular and special meetings. He/she shall appoint all committees and perform such other duties as pertain to his office.
The FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT shall assume the duties of the President during the absence of the President and shall be chairperson of the Membership Committee.
The SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT shall assume the duties of the President during the absence of both the President and the First Vice-President. He/she shall assume the duties of any other officer during their absence.
The SECRETARY-TREASURER shall keep an accurate written record of the proceedings of all meetings, issue notices of regular and special meetings, and other notices which may be required from time to time. He/she shall, at the end of his/her term of office, or upon removal from office, surrender all books and papers pertaining to his/her office to the Association, and perform such other duties as are necessary for the proper performance of his/her office.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep an accurate record account of all monies belonging to the Association and shall collect the fees and other monies due. He/she shall pay all bills contracted and approved by the members. He/she shall submit a financial report at the October meeting of the Association, and prepare an annual financial report for the calendar year of his/her tenure and submit said report at the January Executive Board meeting and to the membership at the February meeting.
The EDITOR shall publish the official publication of the Association. This publication shall include Association business. The publication shall also include information on forensic science and identification. The editor shall receive all articles and items of interest to the members. The number of issues to be published annually shall be determined by the Board.
The Editor shall advise the Executive Board in the matters of publication costs, and other related issues. The Editor may appoint an Assistant Editor, as deemed necessary.
The DIRECTORS shall have charge of the property of the Association and shall examine and audit the accounts of the Secretary-Treasurer annually, or whenever it shall be deemed necessary, and render a report at the October meeting of the Association. They shall attend to such matters as may from time to time be referred to them by the Association. They shall be the final judges of eligibility for membership, and shall pass on all applications for membership between the first and second readings.
The SERGEANT-AT-ARMS shall maintain order, assist the Secretary-Treasurer in the collection of assessments, maintain the flags of the Association and shall be responsible for the presentation of these flags at the monthly meeting and such other duties as the presiding officer may direct.
The HISTORIAN shall search for, collect, and have custody of all items of historical interest to the Association. The Historian shall identify and mark each item, acknowledge the donor of each, and maintain an inventory of all materials on hand, and shall advise the Executive Board of new acquisitions and other pertinent matters on a regular basis.
PARLIAMENTARIAN: The office of Parliamentarian shall be bestowed upon a Life Member who, in the opinion of the President, is deserving of this title. He/she shall hold this office during the tenure of the appointing President.
The Parliamentarian shall see that the rules contained in "Robert's Rules of Order" govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the By-Laws. He/she shall assist the President or Presiding Officer in matters relating to such rules at meetings of the Association or the Executive Committee. He/she shall receive, evaluate, and submit to the Executive Committee, any proposed changes or additions to the By-Laws.
ARTICLE 6
ASSOCIATION FUNDS
Eligibility for inclusion on the mailing list shall be contingent upon the payment of annual dues set by a vote of the Executive Board as determined by an assessment of current postage rates and other Association costs. Such annual dues shall be payable on the first of November for the subsequent year and shall be delinquent on the first day of January of that year. Delinquent members shall be dropped from the mailing list until the annual dues and a five dollar ($5.00) reinstatement fee is paid. Past-Presidents and Life Members shall be exempt from the annual dues, but need to mail their dues notice to the Secretary-Treasurer, to keep addresses up to date.
A sum may be charged against each member attending a monthly meeting to defray the cost of the dinner. Special Assessments not to exceed twenty-five cents (.25) per member may be voted by a majority of the members present at any regular meeting.
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
Applicants for membership shall be proposed and vouched for by a member in good standing. The application shall be referred to the membership committee and, if approved, the applicant shall be accepted or rejected by a majority vote of the members present at a regular meeting of the Association. The applicant will be introduced to the membership at the time of his/her first reading and the Editor will publish this information in the next issue of the newsletter so that all members will be aware of the name of the proposed member. The applicant must be present for his second reading, at which time the applicant will be voted upon. If there is a lapse of one (1) year after a prospective member's first or second reading, the prospective member must reapply for membership. The new member will be sworn in at the third meeting. The oath of membership shall be administered by the presiding officer or by a Past-President or other active member designated by the presiding officer.
APPLICATION FEES
A membership fee of five dollars ($5.00) plus the annual dues as determined by the Executive Board pursuant to Article 6 shall accompany each application for Active or Associate membership. The five dollar membership fee shall serve to meet the costs of the application process. If the application is presented after the first day in October, the fees shall cover the following year. If the applicant is rejected by a majority of the membership at a regular meeting, the fees shall be returned and the applicants name removed from the newsletter mailing list and official roster.
OATH OF MEMBERSHIP
"I, (repeat your name), do solemnly promise -- to personally endorse -- the purposes of this Association -- to attend all meetings when able to do so -- to assist any member whenever possible -- to investigate and report to the Association -- any new development in fingerprinting -- in photography -- or scientific aid to our work -- that shall come to my attention. --To serve on a committee when requested -- to not involve the Association in any controversy -- outside the scope of our work.
ARTICLE 8
SUSPENSION AND/OR EXPULSION
Members may be suspended or expelled for any of the following reasons:
1. Conduct detrimental to the good name of the Association.
2. Professionally unethical conduct.
3. Dishonesty.
4. Disloyalty to the profession of law enforcement.
5. Conviction of a felony,
6. Any violation of the purposes or objectives of the Association.
7. Falsification of application or any misrepresentation therein.
The suspension and/or expulsion shall be accomplished in the following manner:
Charges must be preferred at a regular meeting in writing by an active member in good standing. These charges shall be referred to the Executive Board for investigation.
The Secretary shall notify the member so charged by registered mail, returned receipt requested, of the charges lodged against him/her and the date of the hearing.
The Executive Board shall investigate the charges and report their findings to the membership at the next regular meeting of the Association, at which time the member so charged shall be heard. In the event the Executive Board is unable to complete the investigation before the next regular meeting, additional time may be granted by a majority vote of the Executive Board members present.
Any member expelled from this Association CANNOT be reinstated, allowed to rejoin as a new member, or by any other means become a member in this Association. The membership certificate and the name badge which remain the property of the Association, are to be surrendered to the Association in the event of separation or expulsion of a member as defined in this article.
ARTICLE 9
DUTIES OF MEMBERS
Members shall assist any identification employee, whether a member of this Association or not, whenever possible. All members shall investigate and report to the Association any new developments in fingerprinting, photography, or scientific aids which may come to their attention.
Members shall not as members of this Association, nor shall the Association as a body, endorse any political candidate, or proposition on any ballot, or any patented process or system, and shall remain free from any publication issued for the purpose of obtaining funds for any purpose whatsoever from individuals, companies, or firms.
Every member shall avoid the practice of interceding for friends who are in difficulties with other departments.
ARTICLE 10
THE CHARLES W. WOLFORD AWARD
Annually a member of this Association may be recognized with an award from the Association for outstanding efforts in promoting our science and/or Association. The award shall be in the form of a plaque and certificate, purchased with Association funds by the Secretary-Treasurer or delegate. In addition, the recipient shall be granted a "Life Member" status within the organization and given all the privileges of an active member. Suggestions for candidates shall be made in writing, complete with description of outstanding effort, and submitted to an Executive Board member prior to the conclusion of the September meeting. The Executive Board shall evaluate the suggestions and determine if, and to whom, the award shall be presented. The presentation of the award shall be at the December meeting prior to the installation of the new Officers. This award, established in 1986, shall be known as: The Charles W. Wolford Award.
ARTICLE 11
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
AND BY-LAWS
The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended, changed, or altered by a two thirds vote of the active members present at a regular meeting, provided that a period of one (1) month shall have elapsed between the proposal date and the voting date and provided further that the Secretary shall have published in the monthly bulletin the proposed change. The voting shall be at the first "closed" Executive meeting after these provisions have been made.
Previous Constitution and By-Laws Revisions: 3-3-67, 7-7-67, 5-2-75, 1-20-79, 9-9-89, 10-19-96.