Canadian Peace Officers' Memorial Association
Constitution
September 2004

PREAMBLE

Since 1977, a memorial service has been held on Parliament Hill honouring police and federal correctional officers killed in the line of duty. It has since grown and evolved into a very professional and fitting tribute. The ceremony is held annually on the last Sunday in September.

Since 1991, the organizing committee of the memorial service has been lobbied to include all members of the law enforcement family in the ceremony. This would encompass all persons in Canada who are Canadian Peace Officers, reflecting the close and cooperative working relationships that often exist within the justice community.

In 1994, as a part of this effort, for the first time, a separate ceremony was held on Parliament Hill specifically for Canadian Peace Officers. The ceremony was a large success, with a permanent stone engraved with the names of 53 fallen officers unveiled.

It has always been the goal of the group which worked on the Peace Officer ceremony to combine forces with the Police group to provide a combined memorial ceremony.

In 996, the coordination of the Memorial Service was turned over to the Canadian Police Association (CPA) and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), recognizing that these associations represent the total police community, who are, in fact, the beneficiaries of the ceremony.

Finally as a result of all efforts, the CPA and CACP invited the Canadian Peace Officers' Memorial Association (CPOMA) to work with them to form a consortium of organizations to produce the first fully unified service, commencing in 1996.

At a meeting of representatives of the various Canadian Peace Officer organizations on September 14th, 1995, it was resolved to form a unified association to represent peace officers.

ARTICLE l - NAME AND HEADQUARTERS

Section 1. The group shall be known as the Canadian Peace Officers' Memorial Association (CPOMA).

Section 2. It shall consist of such affiliated organizations who represent Canadian Public Service Peace Officers, herein referred to as Canadian Peace Officers.

Section 3. The national headquarters of the CPOMA shall be located in the national Capital Region, Canada.


ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

Section 1. The CPOMA shall have as its overall mandate and objective the governing of the appropriate tribute to our fellow Canadian Peace Officers who have given the supreme sacrifice. Such enforcement will also promote the image of Canadian Peace Officers within the justice community as well as with the public.


ARTICLE III - OBJECTIVES

Section 1. To obtain, administer, and maintain a memorial stone displaying the names of Canadian Peace Officers killed in the line of duty.

Section 2. To establish a standing committee of Canadian Peace Officers to screen and recommend the names of officers killed in the line of duty to whom tribute will be given.

Section 3. To work with all other interested parties towards a unified ceremony for all Canadian Peace Officers, held annually on the last Sunday in September each year.

Section 4. To promote the national recognition of peace officers.


ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership in the CPOMA shall be open to the following organizations representing Canadian Peace Officers whose principle employment is law enforcement:

i) Various unions or like organizations representing Canadian Peace Officers
ii) Federal, Provincial and Municipal agencies for whom Canadian Peace Officers are employed
iii) Associations who represent the Canadian Peace Officers communities

Section 2. As new organizations request affiliation, such new applications will be formally voted on at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Non-Canadian agencies, unions, or associations representing Public Peace Officers which may wish to apply for affiliation with CPOMA, may do so as non-voting affiliated members.

Section 4. In recognition of Vince Murray's efforts in establishing the Peace Officer's Memorial, he shall be accorded full participation status to the CPOMA.


ARTICLE V - STRUCTURE

Section 1. There shall be a Board of Directors wherein the members shall be made up of nominated representatives, active or retired (in writing) of the organization they represent. Such organizations must employ or represent Canadian Public Peace Officers, as set out in the Canadian Criminal Code, who perform law enforcement duties within Federal, Provincial or Municipal jurisdiction, consistent with Article IV.

Section 2. Each affiliated organization shall be entitled to one representative on the Board of Directors with voting privilege (as per Article IV, Sections 1 and 2).

Section 3. There shall be at least one meeting of the Board of Directors each year.

Section 4. At the Board of Directors meeting, Executive Committee members will be elected. Executive Committee members shall serve for a term of two years. Subsequent terms are renewable by nomination and majority vote of the Board. The President and Treasurer will be elected on even-numbered years, the Vice-President and Secretary will be elected on odd-numbered years, and the Board of Directors will determine the election years for the Chairpersons of the standing committees. At the end of the various terms, the Board will elect replacements.  Nominations for these positions shall come from within the Board of Directors.

Section 5. The Executive Committee shall consist of:

i) A President, who shall, in conjunction with the affiliate concerned, be the official spokesperson for the CPOMA, and the Chair of the Board of Directors;

ii) A Vice-President, who shall assist the President in the performance of the goals of the CPOMA, and shall replace the President during his/her absence.

iii) A Treasurer, who shall be responsible for the preparation of an annual financial report, the administration of CPOMA banking, and be the Chair of the Finance Committee;

iv) A Secretary, who shall be responsible for the preparation of meeting minutes, facilitate the responses to correspondence, and the scheduling and administration of activities of the CPOMA in conjunction with the other Executive members;

v) The Chairperson of each of the standing committees as indicated within the Constitution of the CPOMA.

vi) Immediate past-President with all rights and privileges.

There shall be no restrictions on the number of representatives on the Executive Committee from the same CPOMA affiliated organization.

Each member of the Executive Committee shall be entitled to full voice and vote.

Section 6.  A member of the Board of Directors shall chair the standing committees of the CPOMA and all other members shall be organizational representatives of the CPOMA.  The membership of all committees shall reflect both management and field staff levels, as well as agency, union, and association participation. The standing committees are as follows:

a) Awards Committee

• shall consist of peace officers
• shall receive and determine candidates for tribute using CPOMA criteria which respects The Memorial criteria, excepting that candidates may be submitted from any time period.
• shall work closely with the CPOMA Executive Committee and Board of Directors as well as of the CPA and CACP;
• responsible for ensuring appropriate tributes for peace officers are administered.

b) Finance Committee

• shall be chaired by the Treasurer
• responsible for all financial administration
• will work in conjunction with the Fundraising Committee
• shall be responsible for the preparation of an annual financial report and subsequent audit

c) Ceremonies Committee

• shall liaise and work closely with both the CPA and CACP in the coordination and delivery of the services and functions required for the National Police and Peace Officer Memorial Service Weekend.
• shall include the CPOMA members of each of the standing committees at the Memorial Service.

d) Fundraising Committee

• shall include the Treasurer
• targets in priority - funds for new stone (if required); funds towards ceremony; funds for scholarship/bursaries.
• working with the Board of Directors, shall approach all agencies, unions and associations for support funding.
• shall work towards establishing charitable status for funding, if required.
• shall provide an annual financial report to the Finance Committee.

Section 7. The Executive Committee shall have the right to appoint ad hoc sub-committees with a fixed mandate and length of time, as required.

Section 8. During the first two years of the CPOMA, a sub-committee will be assigned to investigate the feasibility and procedure required to establish a trust fund for the purpose of contributing to the memorial service on behalf of peace officers, providing scholarships, bursaries or other academic awards which support the mandate of the Executive Committee.

Section 9. The Executive Committee shall nominate two persons to represent the CPOMA on the Executive Policy Committee of the Memorial Service. This nomination shall be for a period of two years.

Section 10. Until such time as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, all costs for members participating in the CPOMA shall be borne by the affiliated agency, union, or association.

Section 11. Until such time as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, there shall not be a membership fee for organizations affiliated to CPOMA.

Section 12. A quorum shall constitute 50% of the Board of Directors.

Section 13. All votes shall be governed by simple majority rule with a quorum in effect.

Section 14. The CPOMA shall be carried on without purpose of gain for its members, and any profits or other accretions to the organization shall be used solely to promote its objectives.
 

Dennis Brock - President     _________________________
 

Mancel Legacy, Vice-President     ____________________
 

Gaston Ethier - Treasurer     _________________________
 

Lynn Dolan - Secretary     __________________________

Canadian Peace Officers' Memorial Association

September 2004