Constitution and Bylaws

of the

Iowa Narcotics Officers Association

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this Association shall be the Iowa Narcotics Officers Association hereinafter known as the “Association” and/or INOA. The Bylaws of the Association shall govern the administration and operation of the Association.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

The Association recognizes that narcotics, drugs, and other addictive substances are, and have been, one of the greatest internal threats to the citizens of the United States, the State of Iowa, and each of our communities. The purpose of the Iowa Narcotics Officers Association is to provide education and training and to facilitate the establishment and growth of partnerships and communication between members.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Eligibility for membership shall be set forth in the bylaws, and applicants for membership shall comply with and be subject to the requirements imposed by these bylaws. Questions relating to eligibility shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 1: MEMBERSHIP

The INOA shall have three classes of membership as follows:

ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP

A full-time sworn peace officer employed by any federal, state, county, or municipal agency.
Prosecutors employed by the United States, state of Iowa, or any county or municipality within the state of Iowa.
Criminalists, crime scene technicians, lab technicians, and criminal / intelligence analysts employed by a governmental agency or the armed forces of the United States, and others in associated career fields.

Any person who retires or has retired in good standing and would have been, prior to their retirement, eligible for active membership per the above criteria, may join or continue as an active member.

Active members who are not sworn peace officers may not qualify for certain training as per rules of DEA and other agencies providing training.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

Associate members shall be those who have an interest in the goals and objectives of this organization and / or possess a particular expertise which will enhance the mission of the Association.

Associate members may not vote on any issue and they may not hold elective or appointive office within the Association.

Associate members may not qualify for certain training as per rules of DEA and other agencies providing training.

LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Any active member who has served the Association with honor and distinction, upon nomination to and recommendation of the Board of Directors, and approval by a three fourths (3/4) vote of the membership present at the next Annual Meeting, may be awarded a free lifetime membership.

SECTION 2: APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP

Application for membership in the association must be completed in its entirety and must be accompanied by payment of all applicable fees and a minimum of one year’s dues. Application and dues shall be submitted to the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall forward the application to the President. The membership application will be reviewed by the Board of Directors for approval or denial.

Should the Board of Directors find the applicant to be unqualified for membership, by failure to meet the minimum standards for the type of membership applied for or for any other reason deemed to be so serious as to preclude favorable consideration, the application, together with the dues submitted, shall be returned to the applicant along with a letter explaining the reason the application was denied.

All members of the Association are subject to and bound by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association existing at that time or as they may thereafter be amended.

SECTION 3: TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Any member of this Association may be suspended or terminated from membership:

Upon termination of the member’s employment, except as provided for by Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution and Bylaws of this Association. The member may make written application to the Board of Directors to continue their membership. Upon receipt of such application, the Board of Directors may, by their unanimous vote, continue the paid membership of that person until the next full business meeting to the Association, at which time the continued membership of such member shall be determined by majority vote of the members present.
Upon the non-payment of required dues.
By a majority vote of the Board of Directors at a regularly called board meeting, provided a quorum is present, a member may be expelled or suspended from membership in the Association if the board finds that said member is guilty of conduct prejudicial to the good name or best interest thereof who has exhibited traits of character or conduct inconsistent with such membership; provided, however, that no member shall be so expelled without being afforded an opportunity, after due notice by mail, to defend or explain their position, or to offset the charges against them, either in their own behalf or through other persons.

ARTICLE IV: DUES

Annual dues of this Association shall be $25.00 for all Active and Associate members. All dues are payable January 1 of each year and considered delinquent if not paid by the commencement of the A nnual Training C onference.

Annual dues of this Association shall be changed by a majority vote of the members present at the Annual Meeting acting upon a recommendation from the Board of Directors.

The fiscal year of this Association shall be from January 1 to December 31. The books and accounts of the Association shall be audited annually by an independent accounting firm selected by the Board of Directors.[1]

ARTICLE V: BUSINESS MEETINGS

SECTION 1: ANNUAL MEETING

The Annual Meeting of the members shall be held at the Annual Conference which will take place between March 1 and July 31 each year at a date, time, and location to be determined by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 2: BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS

Board of Directors meetings will be held quarterly, or as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The President shall have the authority to convene special meetings of the Board of Directors as necessary or required.

SECTION 3: QUORUM

A quorum of the Board of Directors shall be at least one-half of the members of said Board. At any dually called conference or special meeting of the membership, one-twentieth of the membership of the Association personally present and entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum.

SECTION 4: VOTING

In all elections for Executive Officers and Regional Directors of the Association, every member entitled to vote shall be permitted to cast only one vote, in person at the Annual Meeting, for each elective office.

Unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be necessary for the adoption of any matter voted on by members.

SECTION 5: ORDER OF BUSINESS

The order of business for Board meetings shall be:

Call to order
Roll Call of Membership
Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
Treasurer’s report
Committee reports
Old business
New business
Adjournment

ARTICLE VI: OFFICERS

SECTION 1: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The permanent members of the Board of Directors shall consist of four (4) Executive Officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer), six (6) Regional Directors and the Immediate Past President. Each Board member will have one (1) vote. The Immediate Past President shall act as a non-voting member / advisor to the Board of Directors, except in the event of a tie.

The President may appoint At-Large Director(s) to the Board of Directors. At-Large Directors will each have one (1) vote. Any such At-Large appointment will be ratified by a vote of the Board of Directors. At-Large Directors will remain until the necessity for their position on the Board of Directors is no longer deemed necessary. The termination of any At-Large Director’s position will also be done by a vote of the Board of Directors.

The President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and one-half of the Regional Directors positions shall be elected annually by the members eligible to vote that are in attendance at the Annual Meeting.

The Regional Directors shall serve for a term of two years and shall be elected accordingly by the member’s eligible to vote from each region that are in attendance at the Annual Meeting. The term of office shall commence at the close of Annual Conference.

SECTION 2: DUTIES

President - shall preside at meetings of the Board of Directors and the Association; shall appoint the chairperson and members of committees; shall appoint At-Large Directors as deemed necessary; shall see that orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried out.

Vice-President - shall act in the place and stead of the President in the event of his absence, inability or refusal to act; and shall exercise and discharge such other duties as may be required of him by the Board of Directors.

Secretary - shall keep and maintain the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and the minutes of all meetings of the members of the Association, maintain all records of the Association and perform such other duties as directed by the President.

Treasurer - shall keep and maintain all membership books, financial records and other such books and records as the Board of Directors may direct. The Treasurer shall prepare an accounting of all funds monthly and a full business report to the Association at the end of each year. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all funds of the Association. A majority vote of the Board of Directors members present is required for expenditures greater than $200. The Treasurer shall disburse funds as are directed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors. At the expiration of the Treasurer’s term, the Treasurer shall deliver to the successor all money, property and records of the Association in the Treasurer’s care, custody and control.

Regional Director - shall represent their assigned geographical area. At each A nnual Meeting , the members from each region having a vacancy, shall caucus to elect a Regional Director.

Regional Directors shall serve as members of the Board of Directors and will represent the interests of their regions at Board meetings.

Regional Directors will coordinate all Association business within their region during their tenure.

Immediate Past President - shall continue as a member of the Board of Directors. The Immediate Past President will not have the power to vote on matters before the Board of Directors except in the event of a tie vote. The Immediate Past President shall render the tie-breaking vote.

ARTICLE VII: ELECTIONS

Elections for the offices of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Regional Directors shall be held at the Annual Meeting of the Association. Elections for the office of President shall take place first, followed by the remaining Executive Officer seats and, finally, the Regional Directors seats. Candidates for any seat as an Executive Officer of the Association will have first served as a Regional Director or At-Large Director.

In the event that there are no candidates meeting the requirements for an elected office, nominations will be taken from the voting membership present at the Annual Meeting. Offices filled in this manner will require the approval of at least sixty percent (60%) of the voting members present at the Annual Meeting.

In the election of Regional Directors, Regions 1, 3 and 5 will be elected in years ending in an odd number while Regions 2, 4 and 6 will be elected in years ending with an even number.

ARTICLE VIII: COMMITTEES

The Association Board of Directors will maintain standing committees and as many ad-hoc committees as deemed necessary by the Board. Committee members must be members of INOA as defined in Article III. Committee meetings will be held at the discretion of the Committee Chair. Each committee shall keep minutes and records of all meetings for presentation to the Board.

Standing Committees may include:

Conference Committee – responsible for the preparation and operation of the annual conference.
Credentials and Elections – responsible for confirming the eligibility of the membership present at the annual conference as well as the distribution and tallying of ballots during general elections.
Training Committee – responsible for arranging the program for the annual conference and assist with training provided by area agencies as requested.
Publicity Committee – responsible for preparing and disseminating a newsletter to the general membership. Also serve as liaison to the media for matters relating to the Association.

The Board of Directors of the Association may appoint other committees as deemed necessary for the benefit and advancement of the Association.

ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS

The Constitution and Bylaws of the Association may be amended by two-thirds vote of the membership present at the next Annual Meeting, provided that notice has been made in writing to the membership at least [2] 15 days prior to the Annual Meeting.

Any Amendment changes shall be published in Article XI of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE X: DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

If, for any reason, the Association shall be dissolved, the assets of the Association shall be used to fulfill existing financial obligations at the time of the dissolution and to pay such expenses as are necessary to dissolve the Association.

Any assets remaining shall be transferred to a nonprofit organization, selected by the Board of Directors, which has been formed for purposes substantially similar to those established in these bylaws.

ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENTS AS VOTED UPON

Amendment #1

(Approved- 03/28/2012 and Enacted- 06/16/21 )

PAST PRESIDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS:

a. A past-president will have a free lifetime membership to INOA and will continue to receive free conference registrations while they are the presiding past-president.

b. A past-past-president will have a free lifetime membership to INOA and their conference fees waived for five (5) years past their ending tenure.

c. A volunteer wanting to attend the conference for a free conference fee shall attend four (4) regularly scheduled meetings and be assigned to at least one (1) of the conference preparation committees.

Amendment #2

(Approved- 02/24/2016 and Enacted- 06/16/21 )

DEATH BENEFITS:

Upon the death of an active member of INOA, who is in good standing, a $2000 death benefit will be paid in accordance to the member’s will. [3]
Upon the death of a spouse of a licensed marriage partner, of an active member of INOA who is in good standing, a $1000 death benefit will be paid to the member.
Upon the death of a child, biological or adopted, including third trimester birth viable stillborn, step child, illegitimate up to the age of eighteen (18) of an active member of INOA, who is in good standing, a $1000 death benefit will be paid to the member. In the case of the death of a child where both parents were members of INOA, only one death benefit may be paid.
LINE OF DUTY INJURY – The licensed marriage partner of an INOA member, who is injured in the line of duty, may request emergency funding up to $500 to be used for actual expenses such as motels, meals, and fuel. This request can be made to any INOA member, who shall then forward the request to the Executive Board for approval.
ANY LINE OF DUTY DEATH- Upon the death of any law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty within the state of Iowa a $1,000 death benefit will be paid in accordance to the their will.

Amendment #3:

(Enacted 06/16/2021)

Indemnity Clause:

In the event of a postponement or cancellation based on an order of state regulation or other unforeseen circumstance, fees collected on behalf of any expecting participant or agency will be held in acceptance till the postponement of event is carried out. If in the interim of postponement, the individual or entity wish to redact their involvement with INOA they may supply another applicant or agency equitable to the fees submitted on their behalf. No refunds will be provided as the planning and coordination are already carried out.

Amendment #4

(Enacted 06/16/2021)

Proxies and Board of Director:

a. Proxies shall not be allowed at Board of Directors meetings.

b. If deemed by the Board of Directors, the President may elect for a Board of Director member to attend the meeting by way of electronic video communication in the event that weather or other extenuating circumstance prevent that Board of Directors member from attending a Board of Directors meeting.

c. In lieu of an actual meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors may act on urgent matters by consultation and poll of the members of the Board of Directors, conducted at the request of the President.

d. The consultation and poll of the executive board may be conducted by telephone, print, or electronic media.

e. Actions shall be deemed approved by the Board of Directors with a majority vote of those polled, provided the number of persons with whom contact is actually made is not less than the number required to establish a quorum as defined above.

f. Any action taken pursuant to this section shall be reported in writing at the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors and shall have the same force and effect as if such action was taken at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors.

g. No officer or other member of the Board of Directors shall vote upon any issue in which the officer or other member of the Board of Directors has a financial interest, employment interest, or any conflict of interest as determined by the Board of Directors.

h. The Immediate Past President will oversee the Board of Directors and current sitting president. If the current sitting President is not fulfilling their duties to the Association, the Immediate Past President has the opportunity to step in and call upon the Board of Directors for vote to establish the Past President back in.

Amendment #5

Bylaws for Survivor's Fund Operation

Article I: Name and Purpose

Section 1: Name Iowa Narcotics Officers Survivor's Fund.

Section 2: Purpose The purpose of Iowa Narcotics Officers Survivor's Fund is to provide monetary support to help survivors meet immediate and long-term needs, such as housing, medical expenses, education, and necessities.

Article II: Board of Directors

Section 1: Composition The composition of the board of directors shall be in accordance with Article VI Section 1 of the INOA Bylaws.

Section 2: Duties The Board of Directors shall oversee the operations of the Survivor's Fund, including the approval of financial assistance to survivors, fundraising initiatives, and strategic planning.

Article III: Survivor Assistance Guidelines

Section 1: Application Process In the event of injury or loss of life affecting an INOA member or their family, as well as Iowa law enforcement and our INOA law enforcement partners, requests for monetary support to aid the survivors shall be formally submitted to the executive board. This submission should be made in writing through email or text communication for prompt consideration.

Section 2: Decision-Making Process the Board of Directors shall review and evaluate each request, ensuring a fair and transparent process. Decisions regarding financial assistance shall be made based on predetermined criteria (INOA member, INOA member spouse, INOA member child, INOA line of duty Injury, Non-member line of duty death, INOA law enforcement partner injury or death, Iowa Law enforcement that is a survivor of a localized incident ex. House fire).

A quorum for the Board of Directors is achieved with a minimum of six out of the 11 voting members. In the event of a tie, the past president acts as the tiebreaker. Voting can take place via email or at a board meeting, with email votes being documented in the subsequent board meeting minutes.

Section 3: Disbursement of Funds Funds shall be disbursed via Association check directly to the appropriate recipient, ensuring responsible and accountable use in accordance to the terms listed in Article IV.

Article IV: Survivor Benefits

Section 1: The following benefits are self-funded by INOA and are not part of an insurance policy. Benefits A-D are only available to active INOA members in good standing.

$2,000 Death of a Member payable to the beneficiary.
$1,000 Death of a Member’s Spouse payable to the member.
$1,000 Death of a Member’s Child up to age 18, including biological, adopted, stepchildren, and still born in third trimester, payable to the member. If both parents are members of INOA, only one benefit will be paid.
$1,000 Line of Duty Death of any law enforcement officer in the state of Iowa. The benefit is payable to the beneficiary.
$500 Personal Incident Survivor benefit is for Iowa and INOA law enforcement partners who have survived a localized incident such as a house fire and are in need of monetary support. The board has discretionary authority to provide up to $500 from the Survivor’s Fund to a member, or member’s family, for a member who has been involved in an incident. Requests shall be formally submitted to the Executive Board for evaluation and determination of an amount of support up to $500. The benefit is payable to the law enforcement officer who survived the incident.

Section 2: Definitions

Beneficiary is determined by the following next-of-kin order: surviving spouse, if none; equally to surviving children, if none; equally to surviving parents, if none; equally to surviving siblings, if none then to the estate.

Article V: Fundraising and Financial Management

Section 1: Fundraising The Survivor's Fund may engage in various fundraising activities to sustain its operations. All fundraising efforts shall align with the mission and values of the organization. The board may annually use unused funds from the Survivor’s Fund to pay/donate to other charitable organizations supporting fallen law enforcement officers.

Section 2: Financial Management The Treasurer shall maintain accurate financial records, prepare regular financial reports for the Executive Board, and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Section 3: Benefit Payments shall be paid from the following funds: Member death, and line of duty death will be paid from the Survivor Fund. Spouse and Child death benefit will be paid from the General Fund.

Article VI: Accountability and Transparency

Section 1: Reporting The Treasurer shall provide updates to the membership of the financial status of the Survivor's Fund at the annual meeting defined under IONA Bylaws Article V Section 1.

Article VII: Dissolution

Section 1: If, for any reason, the Association shall be dissolved, the assets of the Association shall be used to fulfill existing financial obligations at the time of the dissolution and to pay such expenses as are necessary to dissolve the Association.

Any assets remaining shall be transferred to a nonprofit organization, selected by the Board of Directors, which has been formed for purposes substantially like those established in these bylaws.