BYLAWS OF THE CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
ADOPTED March 7, 2002
Revisions:
June 2003
October 2004
November 2005
August 2007
October 2010
June 2016
October 2017
October 2018
October 2019
November 20203
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Article I Name
Section 1 Name / Address
Article II Mission
Section 1 Statement
Section 2 Tax-Exempt Status
Section 3 Use of Funds and Property
Article III Membership
Section 1 Eligibility
Section 2 Non-exclusion
Section 3 Dues
Section 4 Privacy
Section 5 Termination / Reinstatement
Article IV Leadership
Section 1 Officers
Section 2 Governing Board
Section 3 Duties of the Officers
Section 4 Attendance
Section 5 Vacancies
Section 6 Removal
Section 7 Resignation
Section 8 Compensation
Section 9 Police Representatives
Article V Meetings
Section 1 Meetings
Article VI Committees / Appointments
Section 1 Standing Committees
Section 2 Ad Hoc Committees
Article VII Quorums and Voting
Section 1 Qualifications
Section 2 Elections
Section 3 Quorums
Section 4 Voting
Section 5 Absentee Voting
Section 6 General4
Article VIII Insurance
Section 1 Indemnity
Section 2 Liability
Section 3 Review
Article IX Communication
Section 1 Communication
Section 2 Methods
Article X Amendments
Section 1 Bylaw Changes
Section 2 Notifications
Section 3 Distribution
Article XI Dissolving the CPAAA
Section 1 Dissolution
Section 2 Voting
Section 3 Notification5
ARTICLE I NAME
Section 1. Name / Address
A. This organization will be known as the Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association
(CPAAA) of Lexington, Kentucky, located at:
CPAAA
Bureau of Community Services
Lexington Police Department
1795 Old Frankfort Pike
Lexington, Kentucky 40504
ARTICLE II MISSION
Section 1. Statement
A. The CPAAA is a partnership to provide citizen education, support and to promote
mutual trust and understanding between the Lexington Police Department and the
citizens it serves. The motto of CPAAA is “Back the Blue”.
Section 2. Tax-Exempt Status
A. The CPAAA became a tax-exempt organization when it acquired 501(c)3 status in
February 2004.
Section 3. Use of Funds and Property
A. Acquired funds and property will belong to the CPAAA and will be utilized to
enhance the relationship with the Lexington Police Department (LPD), its affiliates
and the community.
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Eligibility
A. Any person who has graduated from the Citizen Police Academy (CPA) of
Lexington, Kentucky, and who has paid dues for the calendar year is eligible to be a
member.
B. Membership benefits
1. All members in good standing may:
a. Learn more about law enforcement in the CPAAA general meeting, Masters
and PhD classes;
b. Participate in activities that support the LPD;
c. Receive communication notices; and
d. Vote in elections and
e. Attend all meetings and activities.
C. A CPA graduate may become a lifetime member by paying the amount set by the
Governing Board (Board).
D. An eminent member is a CPA graduate who merits this distinction for exceptional
and exemplary service to the CPAAA. An eminent member will pay dues and will
have no obligations for attendance or participation.
E. An honorary member is someone who has not attended the CPA but whose
interests in the mission of the CPAAA make the nominee a valued addition to the
organization. An honorary member will be a non-voting member and have no
obligations for attendance, participation or dues.
Section 2. Non-exclusion
A. Membership will not be denied because of age, race, creed, religion, gender,
sexual preference, disability, nationality or ethnic background.
Section 3. Dues
A. Each member must be a paid annual or lifetime member. Membership renewals are
due by January 15th.
B. CPA graduates are eligible and invited to join the CPAAA immediately upon
graduation. Those graduating in November or December of a given year who join
the CPAAA by paying dues will not be required to pay dues the following year.
C. The Board will set the membership dues amount.
Section 4. Privacy
A. The membership rosters are the sole property of the CPAAA. The rosters may not be
used by any individual or organization outside the CPAAA for personal, professional
or commercial purposes.
Section 5. Termination / Reinstatement
A. Termination of a member may be decided by a vote of the Board per Article VII,
Section 4, paragraph A. The member must be given written notice for this action
within ten (10) days of the decision of the Board. The member has ten (10) days to
challenge the decision of the Board, in writing, and be accorded an appeal at the
next regular board meeting. The final determination will be made by a vote of the
Board per Article VII, Section 4, paragraph A following the appeal process. Decision
of this vote will be final.
B. Basis for removal of any member as determined by the Board in its sole discretion
will include, but is not limited to:
1. Conduct of the member which is seriously detrimental to the image, purposes
and goals of the CPAAA or in violation of these bylaws,
2. Conviction of a felony or
3. Presence or appearance of a conflict of interest.
ARTICLE IV LEADERSHIP
Section 1. Officers
A. The CPAAA executive officers will be president, vice president, secretary, treasurer,
sergeant-at-arms and immediate past president. Any annual or lifetime member is
eligible for election as an officer.
Section 2. Governing Board
A. Will consist of the executive officers, committee chairs (standing and ad hoc) and
CPA coordinator.
B. Shall select an individual Certified Public Accounting firm to conduct an annual
assessment of the CPAAA financial records and report the findings. The CPAAA
treasurer shall not be involved in the selection process. The assessment report shall
be sent to the CPAAA Board at the address listed in Article I, Section 1, paragraph
A.
C. Shall review the findings, take appropriate action and inform the CPAAA members.
Section 3. Duties of the Officers
A. The president will have the chief leadership and administrative responsibilities of the
CPAAA.
1. The president:
a. Is the presiding officer of the CPAAA;
b. Presides at general membership and monthly Board meetings for which
he/she prepares an agenda;
c. Schedules special meetings as necessary;
d. Appoints chairs for all ad hoc committees and
e. Schedules yearly planning and budget meetings before the January Board
meeting.
2. The president may be an authorized cosignatory with the treasurer for checks.
3. The president will be a non-voting member of all committees.
4. The president or his/her designated representative will represent Lexington
CPAAA at the National Citizens Police Academy Association (NCPAA)
conference.
B. The vice president will complete any unfulfilled term of the president. In any event
when the president is unable or refuses to perform the duties and responsibilities of
the office, the vice president will assume and perform those duties.
1. The vice president:
a. Performs all duties as directed by the president;
b. Presides at meetings when the president is absent and
c. Schedules all meetings and arranges speaker(s) for the general meetings.
2. The vice president may be an authorized cosignatory with the treasurer for
checks.
C. The secretary will be responsible for recording and distributing minutes of all Board,
general and special meetings and for maintaining a permanent record.
1. The secretary:
a. Provides and maintains monthly attendance sheets for all meetings and
b. Notifies the board of any board member who misses two (2) consecutive
Board meetings without an excuse or more than three (3) Board meetings
during a calendar year.
D. The treasurer will manage and monitor all funds of the CPAAA and maintain
accurate records of all financial transactions. He/she will provide a monthly report to
the membership.
1. The treasurer:
a. Is authorized to sign CPAAA checks and receive and deposit all funds;
b. Reconciles bank statements;
c. Prepares and submits all forms necessary for tax and legal purposes;
d. Maintains a list of all general, lifetime, eminent and honorary members;
e. Provides accounting records to the independent assessment firm selected by
the Board and is available to provide additional information as needed;
f. Arranges to have a credit or debit card issued to the CPA coordinator to
purchase activity/event supplies on behalf of the CPAAA with a daily
purchase limit of $1,000 which is set by the bank. The treasurer should be
notified of such transactions by signed receipt and
g. Is responsible for maintaining the 501(c)3 status under IRS regulations.
2. Each check in excess of six hundred dollars ($600) written from CPAAA funds
will require two (2) authorized signatures, of either the treasurer, the president or
the vice president. Spouses/partners or two or more members of the same family
or household may not sign the same check
E. The sergeant-at-arms will maintain order at all regular and special meetings of the
CPAAA.
1. The sergeant-at-arms:
a. Assures meetings follow 21st Century Robert’s Rules of Order and
b. Reminds members to turn off or disable all electronic devices to ensure that
they will not interrupt meetings.
F. The immediate past president is the person who held the office of president until a
successor was elected. His/her responsibility is to be an advisor to the president.
Section 4. Attendance
A. Each Board member will be expected to attend Board meetings and is
encouraged to attend general and special meetings called by the president.
B. A Board member who cannot attend a Board meeting will be expected to notify
the CPAAA president or vice president (if the president cannot be reached)
before the meeting from which they will be absent.
C. Any Board member who misses two (2) consecutive Board meetings without an
excuse or more than three (3) Board meetings during the year could be removed
from the Board per Article IV, Section 6, paragraph A.
Section 5. Vacancies
A. Any vacancy during a term of elected office will be filled through a special
election. Candidates will be selected by the nominating committee which will also
conduct the election.
B. The nominating committee will solicit candidates, prepare a ballot and conduct
elections to fill vacant office(s).
Section 6. Removal
A. An officer or Board member may be removed at any time by a vote of the Board per
Article VII, Section 4, paragraph A.
Section 7. Resignation
A. An officer or committee chair may resign his/her position at any time by giving
written notice to the Board. A minimum of two (2) week notice is requested.
Section 8. Compensation
A. No CPAAA member will receive any form of compensation for his/her services to
the CPAAA.
B. The president or his/her designated representative will be provided budgeted
funds to attend the NCPAA Conference.
C. Reimbursement for expenses exceeding budgeted amounts must be approved by
the Board.
D. No CPAAA member will use his/her office or membership for personal financial
gain.
Section 9. Police Representatives
A. Sworn officers will act as liaisons between the CPAAA and the Lexington Police
Department. These officers will serve as sources for advice, direction, suggestions
and information relevant to the Lexington Police Department. Interactions between
the CPAAA and the Lexington Police Department will be channeled through the CPA
coordinator.
B. The CPA coordinator and the CPAAA nominating committee will count all ballot
votes and report results. If someone on the nomination committee is running for
office, he/she will not be allowed to count votes.
C. Each police representative will be an honorary member of the CPAAA. All meetings
mentioned herein are open to the police representatives.
D. The Chief of Police will be an honorary member of the CPAAA. All meetings
mentioned herein are open to the Chief or his/her representative(s).
ARTICLE V MEETINGS
Section 1. Meetings
A. CPAAA general and Board meetings will be held monthly.
1. General meeting - first Thursday of the month or a day determined by the Board.
2. Board meeting - last Thursday of the month or a day determined by the Board.
B. The November general meeting will be designated for election of officers.
C. Committee meetings will be held as determined by the committee chair.
D. Planning and budget meetings will be held prior to the January Board meeting.
E. In the absence of both the president and vice president, the presiding officer over
general and Board meetings will be in this order: treasurer, secretary, sergeant-at-
arms. If no officers are present, the meeting will be cancelled.
ARTICLE VI COMMITTEES / APPOINTMENTS
Committee chairs are expected to participate in Board and general meetings and be
prepared to present a quarterly summary of the status of their current committee activities
by the end of each
quarter. Committee chairs also actively participate in the annual planning meeting of the
Board.
Section 1. Standing Committees
A. Lexington Police Department Support Committees
1. Canine Unit Support
a. Provides a broad range of assistance to the unit and
b. Seeks new and innovative ways to support the unit.
2. Mounted Unit Support
a. Provides a broad range of assistance to the unit and
b. Seeks new and innovative ways to support the unit.
3. Special Meal Events — The committee chartered for each event:
a. Provides food and/or food service for LPD officers, civilians and their
families and
b. Seeks to improve service at each event based on feedback and lessons-
learned analysis.
4. Trading Cards
a. Matches sponsors with officers who wish to have trading cards;
b. Coordinates production of the cards and
c. Seeks to ensure that cards are provided to any officer who wishes to have
them.
5. Grants — Within annual guidelines from the Board, solicits and reviews LPD
grant requests and recommends grant awards to the Board.
6. Officer of the Month
a. Presents the LPD Officer of the Month in nine (9) general CPAAA meetings
per year and
b. Seeks to ensure an equitable balance among units, sectors and shifts.
7. Deployed Officer Communication
a. Solicits contributions and sends monthly “care” packages to deployed LPD
officers and
b. Seeks to provide items preferred by the officers.
B. Fund Raising Committees
8. Fund Raising Strategies
a. Identifies and presents to the Board opportunities to raise funds for the
CPAAA and
b. Seeks to increase funds raised over the previous year.
9. Service Committees — These committees are chartered to:
a. Coordinate CPAAA volunteer services for various events such as Thursday
Night Live, 3-Day Event and Road to the Horse and
b. Ensure that CPAAA members understand the expectations for volunteers at
these events.
Holiday Silent Auction
a. Produces the annual silent auction and
b. Seeks to increase the range of options and the funds raised over the previous
year.
C. CPAAA Management Committees
1. Bylaws — Reviews CPAAA bylaws annually and proposes changes for Board and
member approval.
2. Budget
a. Is chaired by the president;
b. Consists of the vice president, treasurer, at least one (1) representative from
the general membership and the CPA coordinator;
c. Recommends annual budget to the Board based on their annual plans and
d. Recommends budget amendments to the Board.
3. Nominating
a. Consists of at least three (3) members appointed by the Board;
b. Develops a list of qualified and interested candidates for each CPAAA officer
position for the November election and each special election;
c. Manages the selection of RO Tyson, Debbie Wagner Spirit Award and Tony
Bartley Distinguished Service Award winners;
d. Prepares the necessary ballot(s) for any election;
e. Conducts the election proceedings including accepting nominations from the
floor;
f. Manages absentee balloting per Article VII, Section 5, paragraph B and
g. Verifies that voting members are eligible to vote on the day of the election.
4. Historian — Develops and documents the history of the CPAAA by obtaining,
organizing and archiving documents, photographs and electronic media regarding
the CPAAA and related activities of its members.
5. Communication committees — Provide information on the CPA and CPAAA.
a. Newsletter — see Article IX, Section 2, paragraph C.
b. Website — see Article IX, Section 2, paragraph D.
6. Membership
a. Actively seeks enrollment for the CPAAA from CPA graduates and
b. Seeks to continually increase membership based on productive and innovative
strategies.
7. Correspondence — Provides messages on behalf of the CPAAA to those
undergoing life events.
8. Canteen Team – Manages the setup and cleanup of the pot luck meals hosted by
the CPA classes and CPAAA member meetings.
Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees
A. These additional committees have a limited term to accomplish a specific purpose
important or necessary to the CPAAA. The president charters these committees with a
statement of responsibilities and expectations.12
ARTICLE VII QUORUMS AND VOTING
Section 1. Qualifications
A. Each paid member will be entitled to one (1) vote.
Section 2. Elections
A. All officers, other than the immediate past president, will be elected at the November
election meeting.
1. Each candidate for the office of president and vice president must have been an
active member of the CPAAA for two (2) years preceding the election.
2. Terms will begin on January 1st and will be for one (1) year.
3. No officer other than the treasurer may serve more than two (2) consecutive years
in the same officer position.
B. Special elections may be necessary from time to time to fill a vacated officer position.
Such special elections will be held at the next general meeting.
C. Voting will be by written ballot and election for each position will be per Article VII,
Section 4, paragraph A.
Section 3. Quorums
A. A quorum will consist of:
1. Board meeting – two-thirds (2/3) of the Board or two-thirds (2/3) of the officers.
2. General meeting – twenty (20) or more members.
3. Special meeting – two-thirds (2/3) of the invited members.
B. A quorum must be present at Board, general or special meetings for CPAAA votes of
any kind to be taken. At the beginning of each meeting, the presiding officer will
announce whether a quorum is present. If a quorum is not present, all business requiring
a vote will be tabled until the next meeting.
Section 4. Voting
A. Once it has been announced there is a quorum, all CPAAA voting transactions are
passed by 2/3 majority vote.
Section 5. Absentee Voting
A. Voting for elections or special elections may be done by absentee ballot when a paid
member cannot be present. The sealed ballot will be delivered to the nominating
committee chair no later than the beginning of the election meeting and be opened by
the nominating committee chair when the ballots are counted.
B. Paid members can request absentee ballot forms from the nominating committee chair
and can only be returned by USPS mail or in person to the nominating committee
chair at address per Article I, Section 1, paragraph A.13
Section 6. General
A. Voting for amendments to the bylaws will be conducted at a general meeting by a voice
vote, show of hands or ballot as determined by the person presiding.
ARTICLE VIII INSURANCE
Section 1. Indemnity
A. The CPAAA will be insured up to one-hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) under a
commercial crime policy for theft of funds by any officer.
Section 2. Liability
A. CPAAA – general aggregate limit of no less than two million dollars ($2,000,000).
B. Directors and officers – no less than one million dollars ($1,000,000).
C. CPAAA members and volunteers at/during a CPAAA event will be insured per person
for accident medical expense of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and ten
thousand dollars ($10,000) for accidental death & dismemberment.
Section 3. Review
A. Policies requirements will be reviewed at the last Board meeting of the year to ensure the
insurance coverage is adequate.
B. Premiums will be reviewed by the Board prior to the month they are due.
ARTICLE IX COMMUNICATION
Section 1. Communication
A. The CPAAA president or designee will be the appointed spokesperson for the CPAAA.
Section 2. Methods
A. Electronic mail
1. This is the preferred method for communication.
B. Members with no electronic mail
1. Copies of all communications will be available in the CPAAA classroom and be
provided by the secretary during general meetings.
C. Newsletter
1. A CPAAA newsletter will be published quarterly at a minimum and made available
to CPAAA members and the Lexington Police Department.
D. Website
1. A CPAAA website [www.lexkycpaaa.org] will be accessible to the public with
general CPA and CPAAA information.
2. A password will be provided to each member to allow access to the member’s
section.
3. Due diligence will be observed to assure privacy by the webmaster.14
E. Social Media
1. Material presented in classes is confidential in nature. Photographs, videos or
voice recordings during officer’s presentations are strictly prohibited.
ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Bylaws Changes
A. The bylaws may be amended in accordance with Article VII, Section 6, paragraph A.
Section 2. Notification
A. Amendments to the bylaws may be proposed by any member. A written copy will be
given to the bylaws committee chair for discussion. Upon approval, the amendment
will be presented to the Board. Following Board approval, a final version will be
available to all CPAAA members.
Section 3. Distribution
A. Whenever an amendment to the bylaws is approved, a revised copy of the bylaws and
individual addenda will be available to members at the next CPAAA meeting.
ARTICLE XI DISSOLVING THE CPAAA
Section 1. Dissolution
A. The CPAAA may be dissolved and cease to exist upon recommendation of the Board.
Such recommendation will be communicated to all members and will be distributed no
less than six (60) days prior to such a vote.
Section 2. Voting
A. A vote will be taken by the CPAAA membership to dissolve the CPAAA per Article
VII, Section 4, paragraph A.
Section 3. Notification
A. Should the membership vote to dissolve the CPAAA:
1. All members will be notified;
2. The treasurer will settle all accounts according to 501(c)3 regulations;
3. The CPA coordinator will inform the Chief of Police of the decision and
4. The Board will determine and oversee the disposition of the CPAAA assets in
accordance with 501(c)3 regulations.