ARTICLE I
There is hereby formed and Constituted an Association of adult residents and citizens of the State of Montana. Only residents and citizens of the State of Montana may become active members of the Association. Citizens of other states may become associate members of the Association without voting privileges.(Amended 06/20/92)
ARTICLE II
The name of the Association shall be THE MONTANA SHERIFF'S AND PEACE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
ARTICLE III
SHERIFFS, UNDERSHERIFFS AND DEPUTY SHERIFFS, AND SHERIFF'S DETENTION OFFICERS, RETIRED AND LIFETIME MEMBERS WHO WERE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS will have VOTING privileges upon payment of dues. The Montana Highway Patrol, County Attorneys, Reserve Deputies, Police Officers, Judges, Justice of the Peace and all Montana Law Enforcement, both State and Federal, and all other past and present members of the Criminal Justice System, shall have NON-VOTING membership privileges. (Amended 6/20/92)
ARTICLE IV
The object of the Association is to bring together all persons for membership under article III hereof, for a more mutual acquaintance, for interchange of thoughts, the apprehension of criminals and such other purposes as the majority may from time to time designate. To include Montana Sheriff's and Peace Officer's Mission and Goals Vision Statements as well as the MSPOA Core Values:
MSPOA MISSION STATEMENT
Preserve the Office of Sheriff in Montana through training, professional development, collaborative partnerships, and advocacy.
MSPOA VISION STATEMENT
Develop leaders, strengthen the profession of law enforcement, create safe communities, and preserve the public trust in the Office of Sheriff.
MSPOA CORE VALUES
ARTICLE V
The Association shall have the power to enact and adopt by-laws for the administration of its affairs, consistent with this Constitution.
ARTICLE VI
To carry out its purposes to the fullest extent in conducting its business, the Association shall have the power to create offices and elect officers. The number of officers, their titles and duties, to be more fully described in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE VII
The Association shall have the power to levy and collect annual dues, the amount and method of providing and collecting the same to be more fully described in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE VIII
The Association shall have the power to discipline its members by temporary suspension or expulsion, to include Lifetime members, for the failure to comply with all the rules and regulations laid down in this Constitution and By-Laws or for unprofessional conduct as a Law Enforcement Officer that would bring discredit to his/her law enforcement agency and/or this Association.
The Board of Directors shall have the power to initiate charges against any member of the Association, but a vote of two-thirds (2/3rds) of the members of the Association present at a meeting on the charges, shall be necessary to expel or discipline any member. (Amended 6/20/92) (Amended 7/1/2024)
ARTICLE IX
The Association shall have the power to designate in its By-Laws the agency for the conducting its business affairs, by the Board of Directors, by annual meeting and conference, or by either or all of them.
ARTICLE X
The Board of Directors shall have the power to amend the Constitution and By-Laws, or any part thereof, at any regular meeting, by 30-day prior notice to all the voting members of the Association in writing, and a two-thirds (2/3rds) majority vote of the 18 members of the Board of Directors. (Effective Jan 1, 1980)
ARTICLE XI
The Association cannot be disbanded as long as there are ten (10) members in good standing who are desirous of continuing the same.
ARTICLE XII
A special meeting may be called by the President after receiving the consent of the Board of Directors, by giving not less than twenty-four (24) hours notice to all members and designating in such notice the purpose and place of the meeting.
ARTICLE XIII
In any obligations created by the Association or any of its officers, agents, or employees, it shall be provided that no liability shall attach in favor of the party contracted with as against any officer, contracting member, agent or employee of the Association but that such party contracted with shall look solely to the assets of the Association for satisfaction of such contract.
ARTICLE XIV
Only Sheriffs, Undersheriffs, Deputy Sheriffs, and Detention Officers are eligible to hold an elective or appointive office in this Association, or to sit on the Board of Directors. The Officers of the Association shall be selected in the following manner:
President will move to Past President (immediate). 1st Vice President will move to President. 2nd Vice President will move to 1st Vice President. 3rd Vice President will move to 2nd Vice President.
There will be an election by ballot for the position or office of 3rd Vice President.
The Secretary-Treasurer will be elected by the membership at the annual meeting and will be a Sheriff, Undersheriff or Deputy Sheriff.
The eighteen (18) member Board of Directors shall be comprised of the following individuals: six (6) Officers (President, Past President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice president, 3rd Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer); five (5) Sheriffs; five (5) Undersheriffs and/or Deputy Sheriffs; two (2) Detention Officers.
No more than two (2) persons from one given county shall be elected to the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XV
This Association shall have the power to pay a death benefit donation to the beneficiary of the deceased member providing he/she was a member in good standing at the time of his/her death.
The Treasurer shall, with the consent of the Board of Directors, upon authoritative information of the death of such member, pay the beneficiary, who shall be named by the member, a sum of money not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1000.00). (Effective July 1, 2024).
In addition, at the direction of the Board of Directors, and upon authoritative information of the death of such member, a payment shall be made by the insurance provider (American Income Life--AIL) to the designated beneficiary, as named by the member, a sum of money to be determined through agreement between MSPOA and AIL. This provision is in effect as long as the agreement between MSPOA and AIL is in effect. (Effective June 1, 2012).
MSPOA Policy Statements
I. Political Endorsements.
It is the policy of the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association that the Association as a whole does not endorse political candidates or political appointees seeking election or appointment to office. This does not preclude an individual member from supporting any political candidate or political appointee of the individual members' choice.
It is expressly forbidden for the Association or its members to spend any Association funds to promote any political campaign.
II. Executive Session.
It is the policy of the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association that an 'Executive Session' of the Board may be convened at any scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors by the President.
The term 'Executive Session' shall be defined as consisting of the Executive Committee, as defined in Article I, Section 1 of the Association's By-Laws. This being the eighteen (18) members known as the Board of Directors of the MSPOA.
Attendance at Executive Session(s) by persons other than Executive Committee, shall lie with the President and the other five (5) Officers of the Executive Committee of the Association. These being the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Vice presidents, the Past President, Secretary-Treasurer.
All Executive Sessions shall be conducted as closed meetings, and shall comply with Montana Statute. (Effective June 14, 2011)
III. Law Enforcement Code of Ethics.
The essence of professional ethics is rooted at the core of the policing spirit. The virtue of professional ethics must be manifested within the leadership of the office of the sheriff, the individual deputy as well as the fraternal order. It is an ideal that requires iron discipline and courage. An ideal that remains the business and responsibility of everybody within law enforcement. Unconditional ethical backup is an expectation and a responsibility that befalls every officer from the time they recite the oath to the time they retire. However, more than that, it is the foundation of the law enforcement tradition.
Therefore, the Board of Directors of the Montana Sheriff's and Peace Officers Association is endorsing the "Law Enforcement Code of Ethics" as a statement of policy. (Effective May 12, 2004)
IV. Member in Good Standing
It is the policy of the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association to define a Member in Good Standing as follows: A member who is current in the payment of dues and is in compliance with the association constitution, bylaws, and expectations outlined in the Association and Board Guidelines/Standard Operating Procedures. (Effective July 1, 2024)
