• Article I

  Name and Objective

  Section 1.

  Name:
  This Association shall be known as the Illinois Association of Property and Evidence Managers, herein after referred to as "I.A.P.E.M." and shall be incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois as a not-for-profit organization.
  
  

  Section 2.

  Goal:
  The purpose of I.A.P.E.M. is to promote professionalism of the evidence and in-custody property function within the State of Illinois.
  
  

  Section 3.

  Objective:

• To provide an avenue for the exchange of operational and technical information and assist member agencies in addressing issues relating to the handling, preservation, storage, processing and disposal of property and in-custody evidence.

• To work together with the Legal System on the standardization of the interpretation of current and pending legislation that will impact the evidence and in-custody property function.

 

Article II

Membership and Organization

Section 1.

Membership:
This Organization shall consist of Active, Associate, Honorary and Corporate membership. Application for membership shall conform to the provisions set forth in the I.A.P.E.M. By-Laws.

• Active Membership: An active member shall be employed as a member of an Illinois or any law enforcement agency, or forensic laboratory, or other agency approved by the Board of Directors, or instructor in the field as recognized by the I.A.P.E.M. Board of Directors, and whose primary duties involve the handling, storage and disposition of evidence and or in-custody property and/or the instruction of others in this area. An active member must be in good standing in order to have the right to vote on any By-Law change(s) or Board Member election(s). [1] [5]
• Associate Membership: Associate membership will be granted to any other law enforcement personnel, who wishes to attend Association meetings, but does not meet the criteria for Active Membership. They will, in all respects, be subject to the same rules and fees as active members. Associate members may not serve as an Officer or Board Member and shall not have the right to vote on any By-Law change(s) or Board Member election(s).
• Corporate Membership: Corporate membership shall be granted to those individuals and firms, which supply services and or products to promote professionalism of the evidence and in-custody property functions for law enforcement personnel.
• Honorary Membership: Upon departure from the law enforcement field, an active member, in good standing, can request this membership status of I.A.P.E.M. This written request must be submitted and approved by the Board of Directors. Upon the awarding of this membership, dues will be waived and the member will continue to have the same rights as an Active member.[3] [5]
• Transfer of Membership: Membership certificates issued by I.A.P.E.M. are not transferable. Annual membership dues are not transferable.

Section 2.

Organization:

• Fiscal Year: I.A.P.E.M.'s fiscal year shall begin on January 1st and end on December 31st. [4]
• Membership: Membership in I.A.P.E.M. will consist of Active, Associate, Corporate and Honorary. Application for membership will conform to all of the provisions of the By-Laws for this Association.
• Good Standing: Members shall be considered in good standing if yearly dues are current.
• Dues: Dues shall be for the purpose of maintaining the organization to serve its members as determined by the Board of Directors.
• Annual Dues: Membership dues are to be paid by February 28th of the current year or membership will be suspended.
• Voting: Voting rights are vested to those Active and Honorary members in good standing.
• Official Positions: Only Active and Honorary members in good standing may hold office.
• Business: Any member in good standing may bring up appropriate business in front of the Board of Directors or Association during business meetings, provided the business is in the interest of the I.A.P.E.M.
• Resignation: Any member can resign from I.A.P.E.M. at any time.
• Mailing Address: The official mailing address of the Association will be a Post Office box, paid for by the Association. Two Board Members of I.A.P.E.M. or their designee, will have access to the box to ensure regular mail pick-up. [5]

 

Article III

Officers and Board Members

Section 1.

Officers:
Following is a list of elected Officers for the Association.

• President
• Vice-President
• Secretary
• Treasurer

Section 2.

Board of Directors:

There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of nine individuals, four elected Officers, four elected Board Members and one Chairperson. The immediate past president shall serve as the Chairperson of the Board.

Section 3.

Any member of the Board of Directors who does not comply with assigned responsibilities, and do so in a timely manner, or is determined to be a detriment to the Board or Association, may be relieved of office by majority vote of the Board of Directors. The President, with approval of the Board of Directors, shall make appointment of a replacement to fill the unexpired term.

 

Article IV

Duties of the President

Section 1.

The President shall prepare an agenda, preside over general membership meetings, membership business meetings and shall preserve order and decorum. The President shall fill, with the approval of the Board, any vacancies on the Board of Directors caused by death, resignation, or other cause, except as specifically provided otherwise herein. [6]

Section 2.

The President shall supervise the affairs and usefulness of the Association.

Section 3.

The President shall not succeed him or herself in office, except in cases where he/she serves the unexpired term of his/her predecessor. In the case where there is no accepted nomination, the Board of Directors may determine that the current President be permitted to serve an additional term and run in the upcoming election. This request must be approved by a 3/5 vote of the Board of Directors. [3] [6]

Section 4.

The President shall appoint an audit committee and ensure a random audit of Association funds annually. The auditing committee shall consist of three members of the board, or two members and one general member, who shall randomly inspect the financial accounts. A report of such audit shall be distributed to the Board of Directors and members. [5]

Section 5.

The President shall be a member of the Board of Directors, but shall only vote in cases of a tie vote.

Section 6.

The President shall be the official spokesperson for the Association and shall have the authority to create committees and task forces subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

Article V

Duties of Vice President

Section 1.

The Vice President shall assume the office of President in the event of the President's resignation or other unforeseen cause.

Section 2.

The Vice President shall act as the presiding officer of the Association during the absence or disability of the President and assume all duties of the office.

Section 3.

The Vice President shall in the absence or disability of the Treasurer shall assume all duties of that office until an active member of the Association may be appointed to serve in that position.

Section 4.

The Vice President shall perform such duties as directed by the President.

Section 5.

The Vice President shall be a voting member of the Board of Directors.

Section 6.

The Vice President shall oversee all committees and task forces appointed by the President. [5]

Section 7.

The Vice President shall act as the liaison to the Webmaster and Newsletter representative communicating announcements, updates and general content as requested. [5]

Article VI

Duties of the Secretary

Section 1.

The Secretary shall record and distribute copies of Board meeting minutes to all Board members and to any member upon request.

Section 2.

The Secretary shall prepare all necessary and appropriate correspondence as requested for the Association.

Section 3.

The Secretary shall perform all other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board of Directors.

Section 4.

The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining a current copy of the By-laws and amending and distributing as appropriate.

Section 5.

Deleted [5]

Section 6.

The Secretary shall prepare and maintain a written and pictorial history for the Association in a scrapbook or notebook. This shall include the activities and accomplishments for all calendar year.

Section 7.

The Secretary shall be a voting member of the Board of Directors.

Section 8.

The Secretary shall prepare and send out a 'new member' membership welcome packet to each new member of the association, upon notification from the treasurer. [5]

Article VII

Duties of the Treasurer

Section 1.

The Treasurer shall maintain all financial records of the Association and provide a financial report at each Board meeting.

Section 2.

The Treasurer shall be responsible for the distribution of all bills and the collection of all monies, to include dues, conference fees, and vendor fees, of the Association and maintain accurate records of such funds.

Section 3.

The Treasurer shall draw all warrants and checks for the expenses of the Association. The Board of Directors must approve payment of expenses incurred in the carrying on the business of the Association, unless the sum is under $300.00 in which event the approval of the Board of Directors is not necessary. [5]

Section 4.

The Treasurer shall provide a yearly report of revenue, expenses and debts incurred by the Association to the Board of Directors, which will be incorporated into the historical files.

Section 5.

The Treasurer shall, upon receipt of annual dues, issue a proof of membership to all members in good standing and maintain the membership list. [3] Upon receiving a new member into the association, the treasurer shall forward the information to the Secretary. [5]

Section 6.

The Treasurer shall be a voting member of the Board of Directors.

Article VIII

Duties of the Chairperson

Section 1.

The outgoing President shall fill the Chairperson's position. If the outgoing President cannot serve, the Board of Directors shall elect a Board member to fill this position for the period of the vacancy. [3]

Section 2.

The Chairperson shall be responsible for working closely with the President and maintaining an open line of communication.

Section 3.

The Chairperson shall prepare an agenda and preside over the Executive Board meetings. [6]

Section 4.

Should the office of the chairperson become vacant, the President shall contact the most recent holder of that office for a selection of appointment to be made to the vacated position. The newly appointed Chairperson will act in that capacity until the next regular installation of Officers.

Section 5.

The Chairperson shall be a voting member of the Board of Directors.

 

Article IX [5]

Duties of the Board Members

Section 1.

The Board Member(s) of the Association shall assist at all membership functions, including but not limited to yearly training and conferences as well as general member meetings.

Section 2.

The Board Member(s) of the Association shall be voting members of the Board of Directors.

Section 3

The Board Member(s) of the Association shall take an active part at the yearly training conference, including assisting with the needs of the Association.

Section 4.

The Board Member(s) of the Association shall participate in the annual audit.

Section 5.

The Board Member(s) of the Association shall assist with all other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board of Directors.

Article X [5]

Duties of the Board of Directors

Section 1.

The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chairperson of the Board and four elected Board members.

Section 2.

The Board of Directors shall establish and approve all programs, conferences and newsletters of the Association.

Section 3.

The Board of Directors shall approve any and all modifications to the By-Laws of the Association prior to membership voting.

Section 4.

The Board of Directors shall approve all purchases for the Association in excess of $300.00. The Board of Directors can raise or lower this amount without approval of the membership, which would change the sum in Article VII, Section 3. [5]

Section 5.

The Board of Directors shall select the place and date of all conferences and workshops approve the programs and ensure that it is within the boundaries of budget allowances. The Board shall be responsible for timely notification or publication of the conference and workshop dates and times to all registered members.

Section 6.

Six (6) members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum in voting.

Section 7.

The Chairperson, Officers and Board Members shall be voting members of the Board of Directors.

Article XI [5]

Election of Officers

Section 1.

Only Active and Honorary members are eligible to run for Officer and Board member positions. Associate and Corporate members are not eligible to serve as an Officer or Board member.

Section 2.

Elected Officers and Board members shall serve a two year term beginning January 1 of their term.

Section 3.

Nominations shall be made at a spring business meeting and voted on prior to, near or directly after, a fall business meeting. [3] [5]

Section 4.

No member's name will be accepted into nomination for any office until such time as that member, if present, indicates a willingness to serve if elected. If the member is not present, the President shall contact the member to determine a willingness to serve if elected.

Section 5.

Members shall be allowed to run for one Officer and or one Board member position during any election. The member shall be allowed to select their first choice in the event they are elected to both positions.

Section 6.

Ballots will be e-mailed or mailed to all members. Ballots, when completed, will be sent to the outgoing President by mail or e-mail. The President shall appoint a committee of three or more members to count the ballots.

Section 7.

Announcement of the newly elected Officers and Board members will be emailed to all members and advised in the subsequent newsletter. [3] [6]

Section 8.

Any officer or board member absent from their elected position for more than one (1) year shall cause an interim election to be conducted.

Article XII [5]

Dues and Assessments

Section 1.

Annual membership dues to the Association are $50.00 per member. Agencies with four (4) or more active members will have a cap of $200.00 yearly. Dues for Corporate members are $200.00. Membership dues are to be paid by February 28th of the current year or membership will be suspended. A $10.00 late fee will be charged to all members whose dues are paid late. [2] [5] [6] [7]

Section 2.

The Association shall provide an annual training workshop and training conference open to all members. 

 

The training workshop shall be either a ½ day or full day training workshop, depending on the topic of training. Attendance to the annual training workshop will be free for paid members. Agencies with four or more members will be allowed to send four (4) members for free and will be subject to a fee, determined by the Board of Directors, for each additional member attending from that agency. 

 

An annual training conference will be provided to the membership.  The date, time, location and fees will be determined by the Board of Directors to cover costs of such conference. [3] [6]

Section 3.

Officers and the Board of Directors can change the yearly dues and conference fees without a vote from the membership.

Section 4.

The Newsletter Editor shall receive a stipend of $100.00 per completed newsletter. The newsletter will be placed onto the IAPEM webpage.  The association newsletter should be completed quarterly or up to four (4) times per year. [6]

 

Article XIII [5]

Misconduct by a Member or Officer

Section 1.

Any charge of misconduct by a member or officer against another member or the Association shall be put forth in a written statement, signed, dated and given to the President. The President shall present the charge to the Board of Directors for consideration within ten days. If in the sole judgment of the Board of Directors, sufficient grounds exist to try such member or officer, the Board of Directors shall send a copy of said charge(s) to the accused by registered or certified mail. The accused shall have twenty days from the date of receipt or receipt refusal to answer the charge in writing. If the accused member or officer fails to file a written answer within the time prescribed.
In this section, such failure shall constitute a waiver of rights to a hearing on such charge. The accused member shall thereupon abide by the action and decision of the Board of Directors without the right of appeal.

Section 2.

The Board of Directors shall have the power to try any member or officer of the Association upon any charge(s) affecting that member's honor or conduct unbecoming a member or an officer, provided the charge is made in writing and signed by the person making the charge(s). The Board of Directors shall have a hearing within 30 days of notification of said charge(s). Providing the accused is found guilty by a majority vote, the Board of Directors shall have the power to expel, suspend or admonish such member or officer.

Article XIV [5]

Amendments

Section 1.

The By-Laws of the Association shall be changed only upon approval by a majority vote of the attending members at a general membership meeting.

Article XV [5]

Dissolution of the Association

Section 1.

In the unlikely event that this Association should be dissolved or otherwise terminated, the assets and income thereof shall not go to benefit of any member or private individual, but shall be used until exhausted for the purpose of carrying out the objectives for which this organization was formed and any residue shall be disposed according to 805 ILCS 105/12 of the Illinois compiled statues.

Revised and approved by a Majority Vote 09-28-05.
[1] Revised and approved by majority vote on 11-08-06
[2] Revised and approved by majority vote on 02-20-08
[3] Revised and approved by majority vote on 10-08-08
[4] Revised and approved by majority vote on 09-23-11
[5] Revised and approved by majority vote on 04-10-14

[6] Revised and approved by majority vote on 10-07-22

[7] Revised and approved by majority vote on 05-15-24