ARTICLE I
Name and Objective

This association shall be known as the "National Association of Property Recovery Investigators, Inc." (NAPRI). The name of the association shall not be used publicly by any member other than for the purpose of identification. This shall not restrict the officers or members of the association in the use of the name to carry out the purposes of the association, or the duties of their office.

Executive Board members of the Florida Law Enforcement Property Recovery Unit, including Detective Jerry Vermette & William Streator of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and Investigator Scott Fyfe of the Seminole County Sheriff Office, attended a California Secondhand Dealer Investigators Association seminar in September 1998. A decision was made to form a national organization dedicated to the express purpose of furthering law enforcement’s response to the recovery of stolen property.

In January 1999, Seminole County Sheriff Donald F. Eslinger, located in Sanford, Florida, authorized Investigator Scott Fyfe to establish this association. Documents were filed with the Florida Department of State. The organization was incorporated as a not for profit corporation on 15 January 1999 under the laws of Florida as the National Association of Property Recovery Investigators Inc.

The objectives of this organization are:

1. To increase the recovery and return of stolen property to victims of theft and identification and apprehension of criminals by providing a forum of communications between all law enforcement agencies in the United States.
2. To provide a basis for exchange of knowledge, ideas, training, information, practices and procedures relating to criminal investigations among the various individual members and the agencies they represent.
3. This organization shall provide training and focus of property investigations of regulated industries to include the pawn shop industry and second-hand dealers, which may include car title loans, firearms dealers, jewelry stores, flea markets, or any business that is required by law to record transactions of tangible personal property. This organization shall include law enforcement personnel who conduct burglary and theft investigations.
4. To encourage and support legislation that would benefit law enforcement in the investigation of property crimes.
5. To provide educational seminars to its members for the purpose of furthering law enforcement’s response to the recovery of stolen property and the above enumerated objectives.
6. This Association shall be operated as a not for profit organization

ARTICLE II
Membership

Any representative of any duly authorized law enforcement agency of municipal, county, state, or federal jurisdiction, or those honorably retired therefrom; any government employee in a registration or regulatory function of a regulated industry, or any person who has a professional interest in the recovery of stolen property, such as a corporate property loss Investigator, believed to be beneficial to the best interest and objectives of the association.

To maintain the highest level of integrity no person employed by one of the industries that our membership regulates shall be a member of this association, this shall in no way prohibit a professional partnership relationship with regulated industries.

A regulated industry may include any business that is required by law to record any record of any transaction of tangible personal property.

A person is considered to be an active member if the person meets the requirements enumerated and submits a signed membership application, affirming that they meet the requirements for membership and membership dues are paid if required.

Only government employees’ association members such as law enforcement personnel and government regulators shall have the right to vote on association business.

The Executive Board shall have the authority to review all applications for membership and make a final determination that the applicant is believed to be beneficial to the best interest and objectives of the association. The Board shall not discriminate against any applicant with regard to Creed, Religion, Race, Color, Sex, Marital Status, Sexual Orientation, Political Ideology, Ancestry, National Origin, or the presence of any Physical Handicap. The Executive Board may deny any membership that is deemed not to be in the association’s best interest.

Membership in the Association shall terminate by:

1. Voluntary withdrawal.
2. When any member is in arrears with dues or other obligations to the association.
3. By a majority vote of the Executive Board when the Board, in its discretion, determines that any member has exhibited conduct inconsistent with the objectives or qualifications of the Association. The President shall give any such member due notice, and an opportunity to be heard before any such termination.
4. If the Executive Board does not require membership dues, and the member has not attended an Association meeting for three years, his or her membership shall be considered expired, without notice. This does not prohibit the member in good standing to reapply for membership.

The National Association of Property Recovery Investigators, Executive Board, may recognize a State or Regional Property Crime Association, which is believed to be beneficial to the best interests and objectives of the National Association.

The goal of the membership would be to provide different property crime associations around the United States to stand together in a common goal.

For a local association to be granted an official "Alliance Association" of the National Association of Property Recovery Investigators, Inc., they shall:

1. Submit an application, including a copy of their Constitution and By-laws.
2. Authorize the National Association to use their association name and logo as an Alliance Association member, in public.
3. Agree to advise their members of NAPRI National seminars and meetings.

The National Association Executive Board, shall review all requests for Alliance Association membership and if approved grant said membership. Said membership shall be considered active indefinitely unless either organization, make written notice, that they no longer desire the alliance or if the Alliance Association fails to make payment of membership dues to National, if required.

Any person of a approved official Alliance Association, wishing to became a member of the National Association shall be required to meet the requirements of Article II, Section I, and be required to pay National dues, if required by the National Executive Board.

The National Association would have no control of the governing of Alliance Associations; their By-laws and their Board of Directors would govern them. The President of National may offer a member of the Alliance Association to be placed on the National Advisory Council.

All past Presidents shall become Life members at the conclusion of their term of office as President. Any Life member shall have the privileges of an Active member without payment of annual dues or seminar fees.

ARTICLE III
Government

The government of the Association shall be vested in the Executive Board. The members of the Executive Board of this Association shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Executive Secretary, Treasurer and two National Directors. Each member shall be entitled to one vote on any question coming before the Board. The Board my allow vote by proxy. A simple majority vote of those Executive Board members responding to a question before the board shall determine the question. The President shall decide all tied votes. The Executive Board shall be law enforcement personal or honorable retired there from.

The Officers of the Board shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, two National Directors and five Regional Directors.

The Executive Board may authorize all Officers of the Board to vote on any question coming before the Board.

The officers of this Association shall hold office for a period of two (2) years from the date of their appointment and shall serve at the pleasure of the President.

The President shall be elected by the majority vote of the Officers of the Board beginning in the year 2000 and reoccur in every even numbered year thereafter. Beginning in year 2000 and in every odd numbered year thereafter, the President shall appoint the Officers of the Board and they shall serve at the pleasure of the President.

In the event any office of this association becomes vacant between terms such vacancy shall be filled by an appointment of the President. Such appointment shall remain in effect for the remainder of that term.

ARTICLE IV
Responsibilities and Duties of Officers

The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association, and it shall be his responsibility to supervise and coordinate the activities of the Association and to preside at meetings of the association and the Executive Board. The President shall appoint appropriate individuals or committees for the conduct and activities of the association and shall require reports from each, as he deems fit. The President may appoint Committee Chairpersons. At meetings of the Association, he may call upon a designated representative of each Alliance Association to report to the membership regarding the activities of their association during the past year.

In absence of the President, the Vice-President shall carry out the duties of the President, or any other duties designed by the President.

The Secretary shall:

1. Keep the constitution, documents, and other records of the Association.
2. Record the minutes of the meetings.
3. Maintain a current roster of members and representatives.
4. Complete and disseminate seminar certificates.
5. Record all voting issues conducted before the association members.
6. Shall perform such duties as assigned by the President.

The Treasurer shall:

1. Be the custodian and depositor of funds of the association.
2. Disperse such funds as authorized by the President or the Executive Board for the purpose of promoting the welfare and objectives of the Association.
3. Render a report of all income disbursements and balances at each Board Meeting.
4. The finance books shall be audited by a certified public accountant or by a member other than the Treasure, appointed by the President, said member shall be responsible to verify all of the association’s assets and liabilities, and report such review to the Board.

There shall be two National Directors on the Executive Board; they shall have responsibility of recruiting new member, aid in planning seminar agendas and any other duties as designed by the President.

There shall be five Regional Directors, selected by the Executive Board and appointed by the President, throughout-out the United States. These Regional Directors shall have the responsibility of recruiting new membership, aid in planning seminar agendas, provided intelligence information to members of their region and any other function as designed by the President.

Article V
Meetings and Seminars

A Board Meeting shall be held at the discretion of the President or the Executive Board and the President shall preside over this meeting. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President can carry out this duty. Attendance at these Board Meetings, except for Officers of the Board, is at the discretion of the Executive Board. A quorum of the Officers of the Board must be present for a vote to be taken or a motion approved. Since Board members may be located at various locations within the United States, a meeting my be conducted by electronic means.

Association seminars may be held annually or as needed at such place approved by the President. The President or the Executive Board does have the authority to remove all non-law enforcement personnel members from a seminar segment that in the opinion of the President or Executive Board is deem to be sensitive law enforcement related material.

A Business Meeting may be held at any seminar to allow the membership a chance to introduce new ideas to the Office of the Board. Any member shall have the right to call for a business meeting at a scheduled seminar and address the membership on association business. When any question comes before this business meeting not specifically provided for herein, the presiding officer shall be governed in their decision by the rules laid down in "Roberts Rules of Order" as revised. This Constitution may only be amended at a Business Meeting by a two-third (2/3) vote of the Active Members present. The President or any Officer of the Board may be removed from Office by a two-third vote of the Active Members present.

ARTICLE VI
Prohibited Acts

No association member may release to the public or to any nonmember, any confidential information obtained from the association, including but not limited to, passwords to the association's World Wide Web site without written consent from the President or the Executive Board. Any member found to have released such information without consent shall have his membership terminated.

Approved by NAPRI Board of Directors 1/23/00

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