About

It is the mission of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police to be a leader in promoting professionalism among all law enforcement officers of the State of Mississippi by encouraging quality education through proactive training and educational programs. We strive to endorse legislation which has positive effects on law enforcement’s ability to reduce crime and the fear of crime in the State of Mississippi.

It is the mission of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police to be a leader in promoting professionalism among all law enforcement officers of the State of Mississippi by encouraging quality education through proactive training and educational programs. We strive to endorse legislation which has positive effects on law enforcement’s ability to reduce crime and the fear of crime in the State of Mississippi.

We encourage the mutual sharing of resources and ideas among all law enforcement entities statewide by reinforcing open lines of communications and being the Vanguard for the future of professional law enforcement within the State of Mississippi. To forge a partnership between law enforcement and the citizens they serve to enhance the quality of life in every community within the State of Mississippi.

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

OF

MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE

ARTICLE I:    NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1.      The name of this non-profit organization shall be.

MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE

Section 2.      The purpose and objectives of this Association shall be.

a)        To secure a closer official relationship among police officers throughout the State of Mississippi.

b)        To secure unity of action in all police matters.

c)         To select the proper personnel and fully utilize the training and educational facilities available throughout the state in order to better equip all police officers to meet modern-day law enforcement needs.

d)        To elevate the standard of police institutions and the police profession.

e)        To pursue humane efforts in the enforcement of laws.

f)          To encourage the advancement of perfection of a uniform police system with the State of Mississippi.

g)        To encourage membership and affiliation of members of this body within the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

ARTICLE II:   MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.      The Association membership shall be divided into four (4) classes: Active members, Associate, Honorary and Lifetime.

Section 2.      Active members shall consist of those persons who are Chiefs of Police, City Marshals, Chief of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, any head of any regular organized police force in the State of Mississippi, or a retired Chief still active in Law Enforcement.

Section 3.      During an extended leave of absence of any active member, that active member may appoint a member of their law enforcement agency to represent them at any annual or special meeting of the Association. This representative shall have the right to vote the proxy of the active member. Notice of such appointment shall be given in writing to the President of the Association prior to the meeting and the proxy shall be effective only at the meeting so stated in the written notice.

Section 4.      Associate members shall be any person recommended by an active member for such membership, approved by the Executive Committee. Associate members shall pay dues and enjoy all the privileges of an active member, but shall be ineligible to vote or hold office.

Section 5.      Honorary members shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee. Honorary members shall be exempt from payment of dues and shall be ineligible to hold office or vote, but shall otherwise retain all privileges of an active member.

Section 6.      Lifetime membership may consist of any retired Chief of Police or Chief of Mississippi Highway Patrol that has been an Association member for two (2) or more years to include all past Presidents and Secretaries. They will enjoy all benefits and privileges of an active member within the Association to include holding office, with the exception of the offices of President, First Vice President, Second Vice-President. Such applications for membership shall be presented to the Executive Board by the President for approval.

NOMINATION & ELECTION PROCEDURES

MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE

The following offices automatically advance to the next office pursuant to Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution and Bylaws.

Second Vice President to First Vice President

First Vice President to President

Nominations of Officers

Nominations from the floor will be accepted on the following offices in the order as they are listed in the Constitution and Bylaws.

First Vice President

Second Vice President

Northern Vice President     Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Coahoma, Desoto, Grenada, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Webster, Yalobusha.

Central Vice President        Attala, Bolivar, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, , Lauderdale, Leake, Madison, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Sunflower, Warren, Washington, Winston , Yazoo

Southern Vice President     Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, Wilkinson.

Northern Executive (2)        Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Coahoma, Desoto, Grenada, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Webster, Yalobusha.

Central Executive (2)           Attala, Bolivar, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Madison, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Sunflower, Warren, Washington, Winston, Yazoo.

Southern Executive (2)       Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, Wilkinson.

SACOP (1)                            A representative from the MACP chosen to represent said Association before the State’s Association of Chiefs of Police.  This shall be for one (3) year term, elected by ballot at the annual meeting of the association by majority vote of the qualified members presenting current membership card.

Procedure for Nominations:

The Chair will call for nominations at the time established by the Executive Board. To make a nomination, the member shall rise and be recognized. No second is required. No one can nominate more than one person for the same office even when more than one person is to be elected to an office or position. The same individual can be nominated for more than one office. If one person is elected to more than one office, he can choose which of the offices he will accept. If he is absent, the assembly should decide by vote the office to assign to him and then should elect person(s) to fill the other office(s).

The Chair calls for nominations by saying “Nominations are now in order for the office of _______.” When the presiding officer has called for nominations from the floor, a member rises and makes a nomination as follows:

Member: Mr. President, I nominate Mr. (Chief)_______of the _______(organization or police department).

Chair: Mr. (Chief) is nominated. Are there any further nominations for the office of _______.

Closing of Nominations for each office

When it appears that no one else wishes to make a nomination, the Chair shall again ask if there are any further nominations; and if there are none, he will declare that nominations (for that office) are closed.

A motion to close nominations is not a necessary part of the election procedure and it should not generally be moved. If a motion to close is raised it requires a two-thirds vote to pass (31)*

After nominations have been closed, nominations for the next office are called for by the Chair.

Voting Procedures:

Article III, Section 2 states all officers shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting of the association by majority vote of the qualified members presenting current membership cards. The officers so elected shall be installed and will take office at the annual meeting at which such election takes place.

Balloting Procedures:

The Chair will appoint tellers to distribute, collect and count the ballots and report the vote in accordance with §45 of Robert’s Rules of Order 9th Edition. When everyone appears to have voted, the Chair inquires “Have all voted who wish to do so?” If there is no response, he will then declare the polls closed. Thereafter, if other members arrive who wish to vote, a majority vote is required to reopen the polls (30)*. The counting and recording of the vote will be in accordance with §44 of Roberts Rules of Order 9th Edition.

*Reopen polls §30 Robert’s Rules of Order 9th Edition.

*Legitimate uses of Motion to close §31 Robert’s Rules of Order 9th Edition.

ARTICLE III: OFFICE AND COMMITTEES

Section 1.      The officers of the Association shall be elected from the active membership. The Executive committee shall consist of a President, First Vice President; Second Vice President; Three Regional Vice Presidents. All active past presidents; (Lifetime Members); and six Executive Committee members, two from each region. In order to run for and maintain the positions of President, First Vice-President, and Second Vice-President a member must be a Chief of Police, City Marshall, Chief of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, or head of any regular organized police force in any municipality in the State of Mississippi. In the event a member loses his status during the elected term, they are no longer eligible to hold the elected position. All of the above officers shall be elected and hold office at the will of the membership with the following exception. The Second Vice President shall be elected and will automatically advance to First Vice President and President after serving one (1) year in each of these positions. Each elected officer will hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

The President shall have the authority to appoint Three (3) Sergeants-At-Arms, one for each region and a Chaplain of the Association.

The Executive Committee shall have the authority to appoint an Executive Director and enter into an employment contract thereafter. The appointment shall be ratified by a majority vote at the next general business meeting or the executive board may request ratification by mail vote.

Section 2.      All officers shall be elected by ballot at the Annual Meeting of the Association by a majority vote of the qualified members present presenting current membership cards. The officers so elected shall be installed and will take office at the Annual Meeting at which

Such election takes place.

Section 3.      At the time of their election, the officers of the Association will be actively engaged in one of the positions set forth in ARTICLE II,

Section 4.      The State shall be divided into three (3) districts; Northern District, Central District and Southern district. The districts shall be divided the same as those of the Mississippi Public Service Commission and the Mississippi Highway Commission. The three regional Vice Presidents shall serve as Chairman of the District embracing the County in which they reside and serve as Chief of Police. The counties comprising the districts are as follows:

NORTHERN DISTRICT: Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw Clay, Coahoma, Desoto, Grenada, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Webster, Yalobusha.

CENTRAL DISTRICT: Attala, Bolivar, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Madison, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Sunflower, Warren, Washington, Winston, Yazoo.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT: Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, Wilkinson.

Section 5.      The Executive Committee shall be the governing body of the Association. Its membership will consist of the First Vice President, Second Vice President, Past Active Presidents, Three (3) Regional Vice Presidents, Six (6) elected Committee members, (2 from each region) and the three (3) Sergeants-At-Arms and the Association Chaplain. The Executive Committee shall hold regular business meetings at least once every three (3) months.

Section 6.      The President of the Association shall serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee.

Section 7.      The committee shall make the necessary inquiries as to the qualifications for active membership on all applicants and shall admit all qualified members to such membership in the Association. The Committee shall have the power to raise a special meeting of the Association upon majority vote of the members of committee. It shall, through appropriate sub-committees, present subjects for its general discussion: suggest means for the advancement of the purposes of the Association; designate the work to be done between sessions of the Association; convene when and where practicable to accomplish its functions, audit and approve all accounts; and in every way promote the interest of the Association in any and all matters pertaining to its purpose.

ARTICLE IV: DUTIES OF OFFICER

Section 1.      The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association and shall preside at all meetings of the Association and the Executive Committee. The President shall have the general and active management of the business of the Association except to the extent that such general and active management is delegated to the Executive Director. The President shall submit a report for the operation of the Association for the year at the Annual Meeting of the members of the Association.

The President shall have the power to name all committees, and designate the chairman, co-chairman and committee secretary thereof except where the personnel of the committee is named in the resolution creating the committee. The President shall be ex-officio member of all committees and shall exercise all of the power and authority customarily vested in a president by parliamentary law, however, the Chair will supervise the committee.

The committees shall be:

Administration/Business Committee; Financial Committee; Legislative Committee; Training & Minimum Standards Committee; Resolution Committee; Membership Committee; Convention Committee and the Historical Committee.

Section 2.      The First Vice President, Second Vice President, and the three (3) Regional Vice Presidents shall be vested with all of the power and shall be recognized to perform all of the duties of the President in the President’s absence or disability and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Executive Committee. These Vice Presidents may serve on all committees assigned by the President.

Section 3.      The Executive Director shall attend all meetings of the Association and the Executive Committee, and other Committees when required by the Executive Committee. The Executive Director shall act as clerk of all such meetings and shall keep a record of all of the proceedings in a permanent form, either by binder or electronic means for that purpose. The Executive Director shall give proper notice of all meetings and shall perform such other duties as shall be designated or required. The Executive Director shall make a newsletter to all members informing the membership of the Association’s accomplishments and business affairs. In addition, the Executive Director shall make available information describing topics discussed and actions taken within ten (10) days following all Executive Committee meetings.

Section 4.      The Executive Director shall receive all dues and other moneys due, contributed or granted the Association, issuing receipt of same; shall keep complete accounts of the finances of the Association, and all receipts; at the Annual Meeting and other times when called upon, shall furnish a complete financial statement showing receipts, disbursements, and payments on hand; and shall perform other duties to the office of Executive Director as may be required by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall require the Executive Director to show a security bond guaranteeing the faithful performance of all duties, and such bond shall be shown when funds on hand exceed $500.00 and same paid for from Association funds.

Section 5.      The Executive Director shall serve as manager of the Association affairs, activities and office, carrying out the directives of the Executive Committee. The Executive Director shall act as coordinator for all Association activities, and shall have immediate supervision of all employees of the Association except as otherwise directed by the Executive Committee. The compensation of the Executive Director shall be determined by the Executive Committee. The Executive Director will oversee and coordinate the marketing of all items bearing the official logo of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police and will be assisted at conventions by the Convention Committee and Business Committee.

Section 6

                        In the event the Executive Director vacates said position , that position shall be advertised for 30 days and all qualified applicants shall be vetted by the President and First and Second Vice Presidents, then presented to the Executive Committee for review and/or to conduct interviews for selection for the position of Executive Director.  The Executive Committee will approve qualified candidates after they have be vetted and those candidates will be voted on by the Executive Committee and one must receive the majority vote.  The appointment shall be ratified by a majority vote and the next general business meeting or the Executive Committee may request ratification by email vote.

ARTICLE V: APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.      Any person holding or occupying any of the positions indicated in Section 2 or Section 4 of ARTICLE II, who is desirous of becoming an Active or Associate of the Association shall file an application with the Executive Director.

Section 2.      Upon receipt of any application, except Honorary, the Executive Director shall refer the same to the Executive Committee, which shall make the necessary inquiries as to qualifications and personal fitness for membership. After such investigation and inquiry, the Executive Committee may admit to membership all qualified persons.

ARTICLE VI: VACANCIES

Section 1.      Any vacancy occurring in the office or any standing committee shall be filled by the President of the Association with the approval of the Executive Committee by majority vote, with the exception of the position of Second Vice President. Should this position become vacant, it shall remain so until elected b ballot at the annual meeting of the association by majority vote of the qualified members.

                        Should the position of President or First Vice President by vacated, the established rules of succession shall apply.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS

Section 1.      This constitution and By-Laws may be amended, altered, repealed or added to at any regular or special meeting of the members of the Association, or by voting by mail, by a two-thirds majority vote of those voting; provided that fifteen (15) days written notice be given of such meeting and that the notice contains the text for any suggested amendments; provided, however, that no such amendment, altercation, repeal or addition shall be submitted to the membership prior to receiving a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

Section 2.      All motions and resolutions, if requested by the Executive Director, shall be presented in writing.

Section 3.      Any question coming before the meeting for which no provision has been made in the Constitution and By-Laws, shall be governed by the rules laid down in “Robert’s Rules of Order “.

ARTICLE VIII: ORDER OF BUSINESS

1. Meeting called to order.

2. Reading of minutes of previous meeting

3. Reading of communications.

4. Report of President

5. Report of Vice President

6. Report of Executive Director

7. Reading of bills contracted in the name of the Association

8. Reports of Committees

9. General discussions of topics and matters concerning the Association

10. Election of officers at Spring Annual Meeting

11. Unfinished business

12. New Business

13. Selection of next place of annual or other meeting

14. Adjournment

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I. DUES, ETC.

Section 1.      The annual dues for Active Members shall be a minimum one-hundred (100) dollars per year. Dues exceeding this amount shall be based on the population and size of the municipality and the amount shall be determined by the Executive Committee. Dues shall be payable at the time of initiation and thereafter due on January 1st of every year.

Section 2.      Annual dues for Association Members shall be one hundred (100) dollars per year, payable and collected in the same manner as Active membership dues.

Section 3.      Any member delinquent for one (1) full year in payment of dues is automatically deprived of all benefits of membership. A member delinquent of two (2) years shall be dropped from rolls of membership and shall not be reinstated until a new application is filed and approved by the Executive Committee.

Section 4.      Any member who resigns from their respective department while charges against them are pending or who is dismissed, or who resigns from their department while under administrative or criminal investigation for alleged misconduct, likewise is dismissed as a member of the Association. This will require an Executive Committee review for validation of information received prior to the official dismissal.

Section 5.      Twenty-five (25) percent of the Active members in attendance shall constitute a quorum for the transition of business. Forty (40) percent of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for their meetings.

Section 6.      On all questions, the vote may be taken viva voca, however, the voting shall be written secret ballot.

ARTICLE II APPOINTMENTS

ARTICLE III: RULES OF ORDER

Section 1.      All questions of order shall be decided by the presiding officer, subject to appeal by any member of the Association.

Section 2.      Each member, when desiring to speak or offer a motion, shall rise in place, and respectfully address the presiding officer, giving name, title and department represented.