Arizona Association of Crime Analysts
By-Laws

Preamble

The AACA is a non-profit organization of law enforcement personnel and those who work in crime analysis. Crime Analysis is the identification, analysis, and reporting of methods, patterns and trends in criminal activity. Activities of the Association include: crime analysis information sharing, establishing crime analysis standards and goals; providing instruction on crime analysis theory and practice throughout Arizona and contiguous states.

Article I: Name

The name of the organization will be the Arizona Association of Crime Analysts (A.A.C.A.).

Article II: Purpose

Mission Statement: Arizona Association of Crime Analysts is a forum for advancing the utility and function of the crime analysis discipline through the exchange of ideas and information in an open, honest, and professional manner.

A. To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas pertaining to crime analysis.
B. To encourage agency involvement in the sharing of crime analysis information.
C. To provide an effective means of determining and expressing the collective views of Arizona crime analysis practitioners on crime analysis needs.
D. To focus attention on local, regional, and state goals and issues relating to crime analysis.
E. To provide education in the areas of crime analysis theory and practice.
F. To provide a continuous liaison between the Association and concerned agencies in the interest of crime analysis.
G. To provide the expertise necessary to commence and sustain a statewide crime analysis program, thereby benefiting all citizens of Arizona through the analysis of crime.

Article III: Membership

A. Membership - All employees of Arizona criminal justice agencies are eligible to apply for individual membership in the AACA. In addition, volunteer personnel of those agencies as well as individuals affiliated with criminal justice agencies are encouraged to participate in the AACA and may also apply.

B. Application for Membership - Individuals seeking membership in the AACA should contact the President of the Association to determine if they can benefit from participation in this organization. Final approval of membership shall be determined by the consensus of the Executive Board. If the individual meets the aforementioned membership criteria, the Treasurer will send the interested party a membership profile to be filled out and sent back to the Treasurer along with any and all dues/fees (see Article III, Section D). The Treasurer will then add his or her name and department to the official membership roster.

C. Membership Privileges - Members shall have the right to cast ballots in the elections of the officers of the AACA and to cast votes on any other issues that deem voting, such as but not limited to: by-law revision, use of funds, training selection, etc. Members shall have the right to hold office in the Association and to sit on any committee of the AACA. All members will have the right of access to all general meetings of the Association, publications produced by the Association, and the listserv. Members will also be eligible for discounted or free training opportunities when available/permissible.

D. Dues and Fees - Membership shall be on a per person basis at the rate of $35 per year, due January 1st of each year and valid through December 31st of that year. There will be a grace period until January 31st for which dues can be paid. There will be no prorating or refunds of dues. Dues paid between November 1 and December 31 of each year will carry-over into the following calendar year and will include AACA membership for the remaining weeks of the previous year; in addition to the full calendar year beginning January 1.

E. Membership Termination - The Executive Board will investigate all allegations of misconduct (see Article IV, Section C). If it is determined that a member has violated the terms contained within these by-laws, the general membership (those in attendance at the general meeting) may remove that member from the Association. The membership status of any individual who departs or alters their affiliation with law enforcement or criminal justice agency is subject to review by the Executive Board. In addition, the membership status of any individual is subject to review at any time by the Executive Board.

Article IV: Executive Board

A. The Executive Board shall be elected by the general membership and shall consist of the offices of: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Executive Board shall meet at the direction of the President or upon recommendation of the majority of the Board to consider business matters or activities of the Association. The Executive Board will also appoint one Member-At-Large annually, who will serve as a member of the Executive Board.

B. Executive Board meetings shall require a quorum of two members. Consensus will be used to decide issues. In the event an issue cannot be decided by the Board, the issue shall be presented to the general membership at the next general meeting. At least one Board member is required to attend every general meeting or a meeting shall not be held.

C. The Executive Board is empowered to investigate or cause to be investigated the actions of any AACA member for allegations of misconduct. IF misconduct is found, the general membership of the Association has the power to remove any member. A member may appeal his or her action the general membership within 60 days.

Article V: Election and Appointment of Officers

A. Nominations for the offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be made in the month leading up to the November meeting. In the event there is no November meeting, nominations will take place during the month of October. All nominations will take place electronically via the AACA listserv. All nominees for office must be paid members in good standing to accept nominations and run for office. There shall be no limit to the number of persons who may be nominated per office and a member need not be present to be nominated for office.

B. The election for the offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be held in the two months leading up to the February meeting. All officers will be elected bi-annually and the terms of office shall be two years. The election will be determined by anonymous ballot cast by current members and by designated proxies. Voting shall take place via the AACA website. Proxy voting will be permitted for election of officers only. A member wishing to vote but who is unable to access a computer may designate a proxy. The proxy may cast a vote(s) in the absent member's stead. Proxy authority shall be recognized in one of two ways; either the absent member shall have written and signed a letter directed to the Association President designating the person who will act as proxy, or the absent member shall have telephoned both the designated person and the Association President and verbally granted proxy authority to the designated person. A person may run for any office after the two-year term ends.

C. The Member-At-Large shall be appointed by the other current members of the Executive Board (President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer). The Member-At-Large shall be appointed on or before the end of the second quarter of the current calendar year, each year, and shall serve for a period of one year. The Member-At-Large shall not serve consecutive terms.

D. No more than one elected office may be held at any one time by any individual member.

E. No more than two elected offices may be held by members of one agency.

F. All offices will be held by current members of the AACA.

G. In the event that any of the offices becomes vacated, the Executive Board shall appoint a current member from the general membership to fill that position for the remainder of the term. By way of this 2008 by-law change, the AACA membership automatically enacts a "grandfather clause" that changes the current terms of the AACA Treasurer to match that of the other Board positions. This short-term grandfather clause automatically extends the current treasurer's term one year, thereby allowing all Board Members to be voted in on the same two-year cycle.

Article VI: Duties of the Officers

A. President - The President shall preside at general membership meetings of the Associations and act as Chairperson of the Executive Board. The President shall solicit and appoint members of all standing committees, shall be responsible to the Executive Board for the proper functioning of all committees, shall maintain a complete and comprehensive file of the activities of the Association, and shall maintain the official membership roster of the Association. The President shall also act as a representative of the Association to the broader criminal justice community.

B. Vice-President - The Vice-President shall serve in the absence of the President, assist the President in the Association's activities, serve on the Executive Board and be responsible for coordinating quarterly training for the Association and maintaining the Association brochure.

C. Treasurer - The Treasurer shall serve on the Executive Board and receive and process membership dues. The Treasurer shall maintain the official membership roster of the Association and be responsible for recruitment and maintenance of the membership of the AACA. The Treasurer shall maintain financial records for the Association by preserving and maintaining a ledger and receipt book. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to also participate in all committees de facto that requires spending Association funds.

1. Dispersing of Association funds - The Treasurer shall have the primary responsibility of writing checks for the Association. Another Executive Board member designee (appointed by the Board) will have permission to sign Association checks to disperse Association funds in the Treasurer's absence.

D. Secretary - It shall be the duty of the Secretary to record, keep on file, and distribute the minutes of all proceedings of the Association and all necessary documents. The Secretary shall preserve all books, papers and property belonging to the Association and shall serve on the Executive Board.

E. Member-At-Large - It shall be the duty of the Member-At-Large to participate as a member of the Executive Board, attending regular Board meetings; special meetings as scheduled; and quarterly Association meetings. The Member-At-Large will represent the general membership on issues of interest or concern to the Association. The Member-At-Large will assist with conferences; meeting planning; publications; training; website contributions and other duties as assigned.

Article VII: Meetings

A. Meetings will be held quarterly, on the third Wednesday of each third month at the time and location designated by the board and/or membership. Special or unexpected circumstances may cause a meeting day or time to be changed if so designated by the board and/or membership. Notification of meeting dates and sites will be sent to all Association agencies via fax or e-mail. There shall be no general membership meeting in the month of December unless there is an emergent need so called upon by the President or the general membership.

B. Persons who are not members of the Association will be permitted to attend the monthly meetings if they are employees of Arizona criminal justice agencies, volunteer personnel of those agencies, or employees of military or federal criminal justice agencies in Arizona. The only exception would be individuals invited by the Executive board.

Article VIII: Decision-Making Procedure

A. General issues will be decided by consensus of the general membership.

B. Voting will be used for Association elections and any other issue deemed necessary by the Executive board (see Article V, Section B).

Article IX: Amendments to the By-Laws

A. All amendments to the Association by-laws will be directed to the Executive Board, who shall have such proposed amendments written and submitted to the membership.

B. Adoption of amendments to the by-laws requires consensus of those in attendance at the first general meeting subsequent to the proposal.

Article X: General

A. The AACA is a non-profit organization. Upon dissolution of the Association, the Executive Board shall disseminate and/or dispose of Association business documents. The organization is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. "Notwithstanding any provision of these articles, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation of services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth. No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Upon the dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future tax code), or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes."

B. The Arizona Association of Crime Analysts shall not align itself or publicly support any one political party or its candidates to achieve its goals.

C. No member shall use the name of this Association by written or verbal correspondence that would imply that the person is speaking on behalf of or being endorsed by the Association without the approval of the general membership.

D. Information sharing within the AACA is strongly encouraged. However, the nature and/or sensitivity of the information being disseminated should be carefully considered. All responsibility for the sharing of information within the AACA remains with the individual member and should be weighed with the policies of the originating law enforcement/criminal justice agencies and the individual's professional discretion.