GOVERNING BOARD BYLAWS

BY-LAWS

REGIONAL COMMUNITY POLICING INSTITUTE-
MISSOURI WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY

ARTICLE ONE
PURPOSE

1. The Governing Board of the Regional Community Policing Institute shall be created for the purpose of providing leadership to the RCPI.
2. Its responsibilities will include:

   1. Serve as catalyst for the advancement of community policing implementation across the State of Missouri;
   2. Promote the training and services of the RCPI;
   3. Review recommendations related to pursuing grants and other funding;
   4. Hire the Director and Assistant Director;
   5. Evaluate the Director;
   6. Appoint members to the Governing Board and the Advisory Group;
3. Make Policy Decisions related to the role of the RCPI;
4. Support Policy development for the RCPI;
5. Review recommendations of the RCPI Director and the Advisory Group for implementation of services to be offered.

ARTICLE TWO
MEMBERSHIP

1. The Board will be made up of 11 organization members. Five of them will be representatives of the Law Enforcement Community. (There are presently five such members on the Board.) Five will be made up of other areas of the Community. (The St. Joseph School District and Missouri Western State University would be two of the five non-law enforcement members.) One will be the Chair of the Advisory Group.
2. The Director, the Advisory Group (through its Chair) and all Governing Board members will make recommendations to the Executive Committee for membership. The Executive Committee will consider all recommendations, and will make recommendations to the Board for membership. These recommendations will be voted on by the board, and membership on the Board must be agreed to by at least a majority of sitting members.
3. Each organization represented on the Governing Board will have one vote. The head of that organization may attend or send a representative. More than one representative from each group can attend, however each organization will only have one vote.
4. The Chair of the Advisory Group will be a voting member of the Governing Board.
5. All Board terms will be for three years. These will be staggered. If a vacancy occurs prior to the end of the term, the Governing Board will appoint a new member to finish out the term of the vacating member. The appointment will follow the process set for initial appointments. Member organizations can sit for two three year terms, however they must be re-nominated for a second term.
6. There will be a Chair and Co-Chair of the Board. These two people, plus the representative from Missouri Western State University, will comprise the Executive Committee. (If the representative from MWSU is not the Chair or Co-Chair, then he/she will also be part of the Executive Committee.) These parties will confer with the Director as needed, but will meet at least monthly (by conference call) with the Director. The Chair and Co-Chair will be elected by the Governing Board. Terms for these positions will be for two-years but can be renewed for one more term. If the Chair or Co-Chair is not able to finish their term, their successors will be determined by the Governing Board.

ARTICLE THREE
MEETINGS

1. The Governing Board will meet quarterly. The meetings will be called by the Chair and Co-Chair of the Governing Board and the Director of the RCPI. A calendar of meetings will be set in September of each year.
2. Meetings will be held at a location convenient to all Board members. Board members are expected to attend meetings. Missing three consecutive meetings will result in the removal of the member organization from the Board.
3. Prior to meetings, an agenda will be sent to all members. If a Board member wants to add something to the agenda, he/she must contact the RCPI office five days prior to the meeting.
4. All issues brought before the Board that require a vote, must be voted on by a majority of the sitting Board members. A Board member can participate in votes by conference telephone if he/she is unable to attend. This must be arranged ahead of time, and must be accessible to the place planned for the meeting. A Board member can send a representative in his/her place, and that representative will have the power to place the vote of the member.
5. Issues requiring a vote are defined as:

   1. Hiring and renewing the contract of the Director;
   2. Hiring the Assistant Director; and
   3. Setting Board policy;
6. The Director will meet with the Executive Committee at least monthly. This meeting can be by conference call.

ARTICLE FOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH ADVISORY GROUP

1. The Governing Board will meet with the Advisory Group in one of its four yearly meetings. This will be referred to as the RCPI Annual Meeting.
2. During this, and at other meetings, the Governing Board will consider recommendations of the Advisory Group. The Chair of the Advisory Group will be a voting member of the Governing Board.
3. The Governing Board will vote on recommendations of the Advisory Group. All considerations must pass by a majority of the Board members. A majority of sitting members of the Board must be present to vote.

ARTICLE FIVE
RELATIONSHIP WITH RCPI STAFF

1. The Governing Board will hire and evaluate the Director of the RCPI. The hiring of the Director will conform with the Hiring Policy of the RCPI and MWSU. The Board will evaluate the Director during June of each year. The Director will send a self-evaluation to each Board member by June 15 of each year. The Chair and Co-Chair will then call a meeting to review the self-evaluation and make recommendations to the Director.
2. The Governing Board will set policy for the RCPI. It will not run the day-to-day operations of the RCPI office. All policy set for the RCPI must conform with the policies of Missouri Western State University, and the COPS office.
3. The Governing Board recognizes the following as under the exclusive control of the Director (or his/her delegate):

   1. Hire all personnel other than the Director and Assistant Director
   2. Develop policies within the office of the RCPI;
   3. Determine when and where training and technical assistance will occur;
   4. Determine who will teach in any training;
   5. Determine the hiring of consultants for training or technical assistance.
4. The Governing Board will promote the work of the RCPI. It will involve its agencies in training and other technical assistance when appropriate.