The PB&PA of Illinois is an organization of full time and retired police officers (there are no part-time police officers in our organization), founded in 1936. We presently consist of over 170 units ranging from one-man departments to our largest unit of over 1500 officers.

Our Association is comprised of persons who have been duly appointed and are regularly employed as police officers of any city, town, village, county or agency of the State of Illinois and such person who have been duly retired or pensioned from such employment and has a membership in good standing.

Originally our organization was formed to establish and safeguard police pensions. Since that time, we have now grown to having a full time Executive Office staff including an attorney and lobbyist in Springfield. Our lobbyists have been instrumental in passing legislation for the betterment of all law enforcement officers and defeating legislation detrimental to our members and their families

Additionally, the Association has become a national voice for law enforcement employees through our affiliation with the Mid-States Police Conference and the National Association of Police Organizations.

When called upon our Association’s legal staff has pursued matters of state-wide and national import. Our attorneys will assist any unit, at the discretion of the State Board, on matters that affect not only the local unit, but also others in the State. Our Attorneys have assisted with the Kaske Decision (polygraph), the Albee Decision (PEDA benefits), cases upholding the Policemen’s Uniform Disciplinary Act, and have taken several cases to the Appellate and Supreme Courts.

We offer many activities, which are hosted by individual units in their city or county. The State Association, in conjunction with a host unit sponsors bowling tournaments, softball tournaments, golf tournaments, pistol shoots and an annual convention. In addition, the PB&PA provides death benefits for both our active and retired members.

Our organization also funds and administers the Hobart “Curley” Rogers Scholarship Fund. This fund offers our members’ children collegiate scholarships of $1,000.00 for each year they attend school. The fund awards 4 scholarships per year (total of 16) to members’ children who are attending at least 12 hours of class.

Our Association is also dedicated to our youth activity programs. Yearly, we distribute monetary grants to our local units to assist them with their youth programs. We also encourage all member units to become active in their community and to promote youth activities.

Our Association played a crucial role in the passage of the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Now, with the establishment of our affiliate, the Policemen’s Benevolent Labor Committee, we are dedicated in seeing that the rights of the police officers are guaranteed. The Labor Committee, as our strong partner, continues to insure that our public employee bargaining law is effectively administered and developed.

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Section 1. This organization shall be named and known as the “Policemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of Illinois, “hereinafter referred to as the “Association”.

Section 2. The purposes for which this Association is organized are to foster and encourage its members to attain a high degree of skill and efficiency in police work; to elevate the standards of police departments by urging the elimination of politics from their conduct; to cultivate friendship and create a more complete and through coordination by and between the many federal, state and local law enforcement officers and police departments operating in the various cities, towns, villages and counties in the State of Illinois; and to protect and promote the general welfare of its members by honorable and legislative means.

Section 3. The Executive Board of the Association retains the exclusive control of the name, logo, emblem, and any other membership identification of the Association. No local unit shall be permitted to use the Association name, logo, emblem, or any other membership identification for any purpose in conjunction with any other Association, corporation, organization, or entity of any type without the prior express written consent from the Executive Board of the Association.

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Section 1. For the purposes of this Constitution and By-laws, and unless otherwise required by the context, the word “municipality” shall hereafter mean city, town, village, county, agency of the State of Illinois, or educational institution.

Section 2. The membership of this Association shall be comprised of and limited to persons who have been duly appointed and are regularly employed as police officers of any municipality of the State of Illinois, and any such persons who have been duly retired or pensioned from such employment, and has a membership in good standing.

No person shall be eligible for membership in this Association unless he/she makes application to join, and does join, at a time when he/she is an active policeman. All applications must be approved by the Executive Board, and may be rejected for any reason deemed adequate by a majority of the Executive Board.

In any municipality where one or more such persons become members of this Association, they shall, as a condition to retaining membership in this Association, form a local unit of the Association in the municipality wherein they are employed. Applications for a charter to form a local unit shall be directed to the President of the Association, and if a majority of the members of the Executive Board approve the application, a charter shall be granted to such local unit, giving it an appropriate name and number. Thereafter, continued membership in good standing in such local unit shall be a condition precedent to membership in this Association. However, persons who are otherwise qualified for membership in this Association may be members of a local unit organized outside the political subdivision by which the member is employed if there is no local unit formed in the political subdivision by which the member is employed or if a majority of the members of a local unit so employed vote to disband the existing local unit and join a local unit outside the political subdivision by which they are employed. Local units are not required to accept members employed outside the political subdivision represented by that local unit. If there is a local unit representing a political subdivision, all members employed by that political subdivision must be members of that local unit, except municipalities with a population over 500,000 where the Illinois Local Labor Relations Board has certified separate bargaining units. Members from two or more political subdivisions may form one local unit as long as there is no local unit formed in any of the political subdivisions by which any of the members are employed.

Section 3. Any member of this Association who (1) resigns or is discharged from the employment which qualifies him as eligible to membership in the Association or (2) who fails or refuses to maintain membership in good standing in the local unit created and existing in the municipality wherein he is employed, or from which he retired on pension; or (3) is or becomes ninety days or more delinquent in payment of dues or special assessments levied by this Association; or (4) is convicted of a felony or an infamous crime; shall be ineligible to membership in the Association, and shall be forthwith dropped from membership and entitled thereafter to none of the rights, privileges or benefits granted to members.

This paragraph shall not be construed as denying the right of membership to any member in good standing who takes or is granted a leave of absence from his employment for a period of time not to exceed one year, nor to any person who enters the Military service of the United States of America for a period of time not to exceed four years, or for the duration of a then existing emergency.

Section 4. Any member of this Association, who is retired on service or disability pension, and is a member in good standing at the time of such retirement, has paid dues into this Association for a period of not less than five (5) years, has abided by all Bylaws of this Association that are amend from time to time, AND, has met all the terms and qualifications, shall be entitled to all rights and privilege of this Association.

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Section 1. The Officers of this Association shall consist of a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Financial Secretary, a Treasurer, a Recording Secretary, a Youth Activity Director and two Sergeants-at-arms. Said officers shall constitute the Executive Board.

Section 2. Officers shall be nominated and elected by the accredited delegates of this Association assembled in convention, and each shall hold office for a term of two (2) years, or until their respective successors are duly elected and have qualified. Although a convention shall be held every year, election of officers shall be held every two (2) years, commencing with the convention held in the fall of 1955.

No person shall be elected as an officer of this Association for more than two (2) consecutive terms of office. This paragraph shall not be construed as preventing any person from holding other offices or of again holding the same office after a two-year non-consecutive interval.

The election of officers shall be by written, secret ballot, except where there is but one nominee for an office, in which case, upon proper motion, he or they be elected by acclamation. The candidate for any office receiving the highest number of valid votes cast shall be declared elected.

Section 3. No member shall be elected to any office or appointed to any committee, nor hold any office, nor serve on any committee unless, during such entire period, he is a member in good standing in the Association.

Section 4. The Executive Board may enter into employment agreements with individuals to fill positions deemed necessary and appropriate for the operation of the association in furtherance of the association’s goals and objectives.

Section 5. The Executive Board may appoint an employee to be responsible for the day-to-day activities and operations of the Association.

Section 6. The Executive Board shall have no more than one member, from any one local unit, serving simultaneously as an elected or appointed Executive Board member.

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Section 1. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of this Association, and of the Executive Board, and he shall conduct said meetings and be governed in his decisions by “Roberts Rules of Order”. He/she shall appoint any and all committees, which the business of this Association may require which may occur therein. Committee members shall serve during the term of the officer appointing them, and at the pleasure of said officer. He/she shall also fill any vacancy occurring in the ranks of the officers, until such vacancy is filled by election. Appointments to any committee, or to fill a vacancy on a committee, or to fill a vacancy in office, shall require the approval of a majority of the members of the Executive Board. The President shall submit to the annual convention a report of the official acts performed during his term of office. He/she and the entire Executive Board shall exercise general supervision of all Association activities. The President is authorized to provide honorary membership cards to state officers, members of the legislature and supporters of the Association.

Section 2. It shall be the duty of the First Vice President to assist the President in performing his/her duties, and in the absence of the President he/she shall assume and perform the duties of the President.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the Second Vice President to assume and perform the duties of the President in the absence of both the President and the First Vice President.

Section 4. The Financial Secretary shall assist the Treasurer in keeping an accurate record of all dues, fees, fines, special assessments, and all other moneys due to this Association. He/she shall keep a record of the membership of each local unit including the names and addresses of the officers of each local unit. He/she shall submit in writing to the annual convention, in conjunction with the Treasurer, a financial statement showing the source and manner of disposition of all moneys of the Association received and disbursed during his/her terms of office. He/she shall also submit in writing to said convention a record of the number and location of each local unit, and the numerical strength of the membership.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds or other assets of the Association, and shall deposit the same in such banking institutions, or invest the same in such securities, as the Executive Board may determine. He/she shall keep an accurate record of all moneys or assets received, and of all funds disbursed. The Treasurer shall, in conjunction with the Financial Secretary, submit in writing to the annual convention, an audit or statement of analysis of funds, certified by a competent and disinterested person or persons selected by the Executive Board, showing the receipt and source of all funds and assets of the Association, and to all accredited delegates. The Treasurer shall also make a written report of the financial standing of the Association, and furnish a copy of the same to the entire Executive Board at each regular business meeting.

There shall be an annual budget of the Association which shall be formulated by the Executive Board and association staff in accordance with such policies and procedures as may, from time to time, be prescribed, and said budget shall be reported to the delegates at the annual convention.

Section 6. The Recording Secretary shall record the minutes and proceedings of all meetings held by the Association and by the Executive Board. He/she shall have charge of such correspondence as the President shall direct, or the business of the Association required, and shall provide for the maintenance of the accurate copies of all Association records and correspondence.

Section 7. The Youth Activities Director shall have the responsibility of securing and providing youth activities for such number of boys and girls as the Executive Board shall annually determine. The cost of youth activities, or such part thereof as the Executive Board shall direct, shall be borne by the Association. The Youth Activities Director shall make a full and complete report to the annual convention on this phase of the Association activities.

It is the expressed desire of this Association to perform certain public services, to the extent that the time, talent and funds of the Association will permit. One such public service is to aid in the prevention or control of juvenile delinquency. In many cities wherein local units of the Association exist there are many underprivileged children who are denied, among other things, the pleasure and experience of attending various summer camps and other activities enjoyed by youth. This Association has, in the past, paid all or part of the cost of providing certain select children with various summer camps and activities for limited periods, in the belief that such an experience is of great value to an underprivileged child. This belief is now restated in the hope that the public service thus rendered has been of value to the boys and girls who enjoyed this experience and to the respective communities in which they reside. The Association hopes to continue this activity.

Section 8. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall take care of the door and maintain order at all meetings of the Executive Board and of the Association in convention and shall be under the direction of the presiding officer.

Section 9. The Executive Board shall act as a Board of Directors, and shall administer the business of this Association in accord with the general policy as prescribed by this Constitution and By-laws. For the purpose of transacting business of the Association, four members of the Board, including the President, or, in his absence, the First Vice President, shall be deemed a quorum. The President, Financial Secretary, Treasurer and each employee that the Executive Board deems appropriate shall be covered by a blanket fidelity bond to guarantee their honest and faithful handling of the funds of the Association. The amount of such bond shall have limits of no less than Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars, and the cost thereof shall be paid as an expense of the Association. Any and all insurance policies or bonds shall be deposited with the Recording Secretary of safekeeping.

Section 10. The Association shall cause the publication of a magazine which shall be called “The Policemen’s Magazine,” and which shall be the official publication of this Association. The Executive Board shall be vested with responsibility of hiring or procuring a competent publisher who shall be responsible for editing, managing, hiring advertising representatives, and other persons necessary to accomplish the publication of the magazine, on such terms as the Executive Board shall approve.

Section 11. All officers of the Association shall preserve their records and all correspondence handled by them on behalf of the Association in the discharge of their duties as officers, and shall hand the same over to their respective successors in office. Records more than two (2) years old shall be deposited with the Executive Office for safekeeping. The Executive Office shall secure the safe keeping of the records of this Association.

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Section 1. A local unit is defined as one or more persons employed regularly as police officers by the same municipality, and who are qualified for membership and do become members in good standing in this Association. Whenever one or more such persons become members of, or apply for membership in this Association, they shall proceed to form a local unit in the manner provided in Section 2 of Article II hereof. Local units may elect officers, send delegates to the annual convention, and otherwise aid in the fulfillment of the objectives of this Association. Each local unit may adopt a constitution and by-laws to govern the administration of the affairs of the local unit, provided that no provision thereof shall in any manner conflict with the constitution and by-laws of this Association, nor with any resolution or order of business properly adopted at convention.

Section 2. The Secretary of each local unit shall keep the Financial Secretary currently advised of its roster of membership, including the names and addresses of each member, names and addresses of persons dropped from membership, names and address of the beneficiary of each member. The Secretary of each local unit shall promptly forward to the Financial Secretary all membership applications, fees, dues, assessments, advertising revenue, or other moneys or property due the Association. The Secretary of each local unit shall notify the Financial Secretary of the eligible delegates and alternate delegates chosen to represent the local unit at annual convention, in the manner provided in Article VII hereof. Upon the death or retirement of any member, the Secretary of the local unit shall promptly notify the Financial Secretary of that fact.

Section 3. No local unit, shall admit to membership, nor permit the retention of membership, of any person who is not eligible to membership in this Association. On request of the Financial Secretary, the officers of the local units shall prove the eligibility to membership of each person carried on the local roster of membership. Upon the death or retirement of any members, the Secretary of the local unit shall, on request of the Financial Secretary, furnish all information requested by the Financial Secretary to prove eligibility to death benefit, identity of beneficiary, eligibility of beneficiary, or any other reasonable information request by the Financial Secretary.

Section 4. The Executive Board of the Association is hereby invested with the authority to revoke the charter and membership of any local unit whenever, upon evidence satisfactory to majority of the Executive Board, it is shown that the local unit is guilty of disloyalty, violation of the objectives and purpose for which this Association is formed, repeated failures to comply with instructions or requests made by officers of the Association, or where the activities of the local unit, or any of its members, have been detrimental to the welfare of the Association, or injurious to the members of the Association. In the event of such revocation, all members of such local unit shall forthwith cease to be members of the Association, and shall thereafter be entitled to none of the benefits therein provided, unless such action is reversed in the manner herein defined. In the event of revocation, the Executive Board shall report such fact to each local unit. A local unit whose charter has been revoked in the manner herein described shall have the right to appear at the next annual convention and appeal such action to the floor of the convention. In the event the action of the Executive Board is reversed, each member of the local unit whose charter was revoked in the manner hereinbefore defined shall be restored to all the rights and privileges each enjoyed prior to such revocation.

Section 5. Receivership

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Section 1. The dues shall be $48.00 per year payable on or before January 30th of each year. For any person initially joining this Association on or after July 1st of any calendar year, the dues for that calendar year for that person shall be $ 24.00 payable at the time the application for membership is approved. On March 1 of a year a unit’s/member’s dues become delinquent, a cumulative delinquent dues fee of $1.00 per month, per delinquent member, shall be assessed for any unit/member who is delinquent in payment of their dues. An effected unit or member may petition the State Executive Board for relief from this delinquency fee, for good cause.

Section 2. Any member of this Association who is or becomes delinquent thirty days in the payment of any dues or special assessments provided herein, shall be declared delinquent and not in good standing. If he should become ninety days delinquent in the payment of such dues, or special assessment, he shall automatically be dropped from membership and declared a non-member. Dues of those who enter the Armed Services directly from their employment as police officers shall be waived during their period of service in such Armed Forces, and for the duration thereof, and for the balance of the year in which each is respectively discharged from the Armed Force service.

Section 3. Special assessments may be levied by the Executive Board upon the members of this Association only when, in the opinion of a majority of the Executive Board, such a levy is necessary to carry out the works and purposes of the Association. If a majority of the members of the Executive Board deem such a levy advisable, they shall adopt a resolution stating this fact, defining the purpose for and the amount of such special assessment. Before, however, such a levy may be collected, the resolution approving such a levy must be approved either by a majority of the delegates assembled at annual convention, or if the Board deems an emergency exists and there is not time to submit such question to vote at annual convention, then by approval of a majority of the entire membership expressed through referendum vote of the membership. If the resolution recommending the levy of a special assessment be approved in either of the foregoing manner, then the Executive Board shall declare such special assessment approved, and the same shall be forthwith levied and collected in the same manner as annual dues. Any person who belongs to this Association shall, by accepting membership herein, agree to the authority of the Executive Board to levy and collect a special assessment in the manner herein defined, and all members of the Association, as a condition of membership, agree to pay the same promptly when levied if approved or adopted in the manners herein before defined.

Section 4. Any person who has been dropped from membership or declared a non-member, in this Association, for non-payment of dues or special assessments shall pay the Financial Secretary dues for the year in which such member wishes to be reinstated. Any such member having been reinstated must remain in good standing for a period of one year before being entitled to any of the benefits of this Association.

Section 5. Any person who is delinquent, or is a non-member, or has been dropped from membership, shall not be entitled to any of the benefits herein provided unless and until he is reinstated and restored to good standing in the manner for the time herein provided.

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Section 1. All moneys or other assets of the Association shall be in the custody of the Treasurer. No funds of the Association shall be disbursed except pursuant to a warrant directing such disbursement, drawn by the Financial Secretary, and directed to the Treasurer. Funds of the Association shall be disbursed either (1) by check or voucher, signed by the Treasurer, and counter-singed by the President, or such other officers or employees as the Executive Board may provide by resolution; Or (2) by electronic fund transfer authorized by the Treasurer and President, or such other officers or employees as the Executive Board may provide by resolution. All moneys or other assets of the Association received by an officer, or by any member, shall be promptly transmitted to the Treasurer for deposit to the credit of the Association.

Section 2. The fiscal year of the Association shall commence on January 1st of each year, and shall close on the last day of December of each year.

Section 3. The Financial Secretary is authorized, each year, to issue a warrant drawn on the Treasurer in sum of no more than Two Thousand Five Hundred ($2,500.00) Dollars, directing the payment of said sum to the local unit located in the City which is host to the Annual Convention, in order to aid such local unit in arranging such convention. Each local unit, hosting the convention, shall provide an accounting to the Financial Secretary and Treasurer, on or before the 1st day of December immediately following the convention, of all convention related income and expenses to demonstrate that such funds were utilized to cover the local unit’s convention expenses over and above convention income. Any sum of the above referenced $2,500 remaining over and above expenses so incurred, shall be refunded to the Association.

Section 4. Delegates and alternates delegates shall be chosen by each local unit at least ten days prior to the first day of the annual convention. The Secretary of each local unit shall advise the Financial Secretary through the executive office of the names of the eligible delegates, and alternate delegates, at least ten days prior to the first day of the Annual Convention. Delegates, and alternate delegates, shall attend the annual convention properly accredited by the local units, which each purports to represent, and at their own expense, or the expense of the local unit which each purports to represent.

Section 5. No local unit shall receive a youth activities grant until that local unit has been a local unit of the State Association for a period of time in excess of one year.

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Section 1. The Association shall hold an annual convention on dates selected by the Executive Board. Any local unit may request that the annual convention be held in that units’ municipality and, if selected by the delegates, such local unit shall act as host for that convention. Delegates at annual convention shall select the site for future conventions up to two years in advance. If no unit requests to be the host unit for an annual convention, the Executive Board shall select the convention site and act as host for that convention.

Section 2. Each local unit shall be entitled to send and to be represented at the annual convention, by two delegates for the first twenty-five, or fraction thereof of its members in good standing, and one additional delegate for each additional twenty-five members in good standing, or fraction thereof, provided, that no local unit shall be entitled to more than ten delegates. Each local unit from municipalities of 500,000 or more population shall be entitled to send and to be represented at the annual convention by one delegate for the first fifty, or fraction thereof, of its members in good standing, and one additional delegate for each additional fifty members in good standing, or fraction thereof, provided that no local unit shall be entitled to more than ten delegates. The number of delegates each local unit is entitled to send to annual convention shall be determined by the number of members of the local unit who are in good standing on the thirtieth day prior to the opening of the annual convention. The Financial Secretary shall advise each local unit of the number of delegates each local unit is entitled to send to convention at least ten days prior to the opening date of the annual convention.

Section 3. Each local unit may select and send to the annual convention alternate delegates who, in the absence of the delegates chosen, may sit and act for an absent delegate.

Section 4. Officers of the Association shall be reimbursed for actual, reasonable expenses incurred in attending conventions, meeting of the Executive Board, or in the execution of regular business of the Association. Members of committees shall be reimbursed for actual reasonable expense in attending regular or special meetings of the committees of which they, respectively, are members. Officers of the Association shall be entitled to receive an honorarium or fee in such annual amount as shall be recommended by the Executive Board, and shall be approved by the delegates in Annual Convention assembled.

Section 5. Officers of the Association shall be entitled to vote at annual convention only if they are delegates.

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Section 1. A local unit is defined as one or more persons employed regularly as police officers by the same municipality, and who are qualified for membership and do become members in good standing in this Association. Whenever one or more such persons become members of, or apply for membership in this Association, they shall proceed to form a local unit in the manner provided in Section 2 of Article II hereof. Local units may elect officers, send delegates to the annual convention, and otherwise aid in the fulfillment of the objectives of this Association. Each local unit may adopt a constitution and by-laws to govern the administration of the affairs of the local unit, provided that no provision thereof shall in any manner conflict with the constitution and by-laws of this Association, nor with any resolution or order of business properly adopted at convention.

Section 2. The Secretary of each local unit shall keep the Financial Secretary currently advised of its roster of membership, including the names and addresses of each member, names and addresses of persons dropped from membership, names and address of the beneficiary of each member. The Secretary of each local unit shall promptly forward to the Financial Secretary all membership applications, fees, dues, assessments, advertising revenue, or other moneys or property due the Association. The Secretary of each local unit shall notify the Financial Secretary of the eligible delegates and alternate delegates chosen to represent the local unit at annual convention, in the manner provided in Article VII hereof. Upon the death or retirement of any member, the Secretary of the local unit shall promptly notify the Financial Secretary of that fact.

Section 3. No local unit, shall admit to membership, nor permit the retention of membership, of any person who is not eligible to membership in this Association. On request of the Financial Secretary, the officers of the local units shall prove the eligibility to membership of each person carried on the local roster of membership. Upon the death or retirement of any members, the Secretary of the local unit shall, on request of the Financial Secretary, furnish all information requested by the Financial Secretary to prove eligibility to death benefit, identity of beneficiary, eligibility of beneficiary, or any other reasonable information request by the Financial Secretary.

Section 4. The Executive Board of the Association is hereby invested with the authority to revoke the charter and membership of any local unit whenever, upon evidence satisfactory to majority of the Executive Board, it is shown that the local unit is guilty of disloyalty, violation of the objectives and purpose for which this Association is formed, repeated failures to comply with instructions or requests made by officers of the Association, or where the activities of the local unit, or any of its members, have been detrimental to the welfare of the Association, or injurious to the members of the Association. In the event of such revocation, all members of such local unit shall forthwith cease to be members of the Association, and shall thereafter be entitled to none of the benefits therein provided, unless such action is reversed in the manner herein defined. In the event of revocation, the Executive Board shall report such fact to each local unit. A local unit whose charter has been revoked in the manner herein described shall have the right to appear at the next annual convention and appeal such action to the floor of the convention. In the event the action of the Executive Board is reversed, each member of the local unit whose charter was revoked in the manner hereinbefore defined shall be restored to all the rights and privileges each enjoyed prior to such revocation.

Section 5. Receivership

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Section 1. This Constitution and By-laws, or any section or provision thereof, may be amended, rescinded or enlarged in the manner following.

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Section 1. The Executive Board of this Association shall, pursuant to Section 2, of this article, establish the amount of a “death benefit” and the terms and qualifications of the death benefit. All claims for death benefits shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the death certificate, together with such other proof or information as the Financial Secretary shall require and said amount shall be paid if such death certificate and proof or information is furnished within two years of the date of death of such member. All moneys disbursed for the payment of “death benefit” shall be disbursed only upon approval of a majority of the members of the Executive Board. If the designated beneficiary has predeceased the deceased member, or if no beneficiary is named, then the benefit shall, upon satisfactory proof made to the Financial Secretary be paid to the executor or the administrator of the estate of the deceased member or in default thereof in equal shares to the heirs at law of the deceased member. Provided, the Executive Board is hereby authorized to adopt policies and procedures regarding the payment of death benefits consistent with the spirit of this Article.

Section 2. The Executive Board of this Association shall provide for Death Benefit for members of this Association who joined the Association during the first five (5) years of the member’s tenure as a police officer, or who has joined this Association within one year after a local unit was established in the city by whom said officer is employed, or within one (1) year after said officer became eligible to join the Association, and have paid dues every year thereafter, until retirement. The amount of the death benefit and their terms and qualifications of the death benefit shall be determined from time to time by the Executive Board provided that all actively employed members of this Association who are in good standing and who are otherwise qualified shall be entitled to the benefit provisions. The Executive Board shall have the right to purchase insurance as a means of providing the death benefit. This amendment shall become effective January 1, 1980.

No beneficiary or heir at law of a deceased member shall receive any benefits for the death of a member is such beneficiary or heir at law has been convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of felonious criminal acts or conduct which resulted in the death of the member. If the designated beneficiary has predeceased the deceased member, or if no beneficiary is named, then the benefit shall not be paid.

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Section 1. If for any reason this Association shall cease to function, and shall dissolve, all net assets remaining after payment of debts and liabilities shall be disbursed by the Executive Board by selecting one or more non-profit organizations to receive said assets, and upon payment of the same to said organizations, dissolution shall be complete.

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The purpose of the creation of this scholarship fund is to honor the memory of Hobart “Curley” Rogers and to provide financial assistance to the children of members of our Association. The Scholarship Committee shall be independent of those individuals submitting scholarship applications. And shall set forth the rules and regulations which shall determine those individuals eligible for each scholarship. The mandatory minimum guidelines shall be used to determine who receives the scholarships each year as follows:

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This section is an addition to previous editions of the Association’s Constitution and By-laws. Its purpose is to record all amendments to this Constitution and By-laws. An additional purpose is to explain the reason for the amendment of the Constitution or Bylaws and to explain the intent of the amendment when necessary. This latest edition of the Association’s Constitution and By-laws contains four amendments since the publication of our last issue.

The first amendment was made in 1986. It added language, “or agencies in the State of Illinois”, to Article II, Section 1. The purpose of the amendment was to expand the definition of the word “municipality” to allow our Association to expand its membership to include sworn officers employed by a state agency.

The second amendment was also enacted in 1986. That amendment is reflected in Section 1 (a) of Article IX. The purpose of the amendment was to ensure that the By-laws Committee could not veto a recommended amendment to the By-laws by the Executive Board. The amendment did not change the methods in which an amendment could be enacted.

The third amendment to the By-laws occurred in 1989. Section 5 was added to Article VI and is self-explanatory.

Finally, in 1990, Section 3 was added to Article I. The purpose of the amendment was to confirm the Executive Board’s exclusive authority to control the use of the Association’s name.

This section of the By-laws should be included in future editions in order to assist researchers in determining the intent of the amended sections.

At the convention in 1997 there were three bylaws changes: Article II Section 1 was changed to add “county,” “or educational institution” to allow the Association to accept membership applications and issue charters to police officers employed by any college, university, school district or county in the state of Illinois regardless of the county’s size or the existence of a merit board; Article VI sections 1 and 2 changed banking and disbursement practices that were cumbersome, permitted the use of updated banking services to make the business practices more efficient and assist the Executive Officers in budgeting by bringing the Association’s fiscal year in line with dues income from units and the calendar year.

In 1998 Article III Sections 1, 2, 4 & 5 and Article IV Sections 6 & 9 eliminated the Executive Director position and assigned responsibilities were consumed by the elected Executive Board. Being bound by that paid position, by Bylaw, was cost prohibitive and the position was no longer found to be necessary.

Article IV-1999 was amended to eliminate the required pension and legislative committees to allow the President to appoint committees as needed. Both those committees came to exist in name only for several years. Article XII- was amended to bring our scholarship program into compliance with the Internal Revenue Code. The amendments had to be made in order for our scholarship program to continue.

During the 2000 convention four changes were made: Article II Section 4 and Article X Section 2 were amended to facilitate newly chartered units and members the ability to buy into the paid up membership of the association; Article III Section 5 was added; and Article V Section 1 was added to increase dues, for the first time in 11 years, by $1.00 monthly to relief fiscal strain.

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