Constitution
Adopted 18th July 2011
ARTICLE ONE: TITLE AND PURPOSE
Section 1: Title
1.1 The organisation shall be known as the British Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (BAPCO) and for the purposes of this document shall be referred to as “The Association”.
Section 2: Statement of Purpose
The Purpose of The Association shall be to:
1. Promote the development of communications and supporting information technologies to provide effective systems to enhance delivery of services for the benefit and safety of the public.
2. Promote the collection, exchange and dissemination of information technology relating to communications so as to enhance the delivery of services for the benefit and safety of the public.
3. Maintain an effective relationship with the communications and information technology industry to ensure that developments are monitored and that industry is constantly aware of current and future user requirements;
4. Represent its members in further developing communications and information technology in general by providing support and advice to policy making bodies of services and organisations concerned with the safety of the public.
5. To participate, with other international partners, in initiatives which will benefit the safety of the public globally.
ARTICLE TWO: ORGANISATION, MEMBERSHIP, VOTING AND MEETINGS
Section 1: Organisation
1.1 BAPCO shall be a non-profit making organisation and shall be an Association of Regional Conferences in the United Kingdom, the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. The members of the Association shall be individuals except as provided for under this Article. The Regions of The Association are separately responsible organisations that abide by the requirements of the Association and are geographically assigned groups as defined in Article Three of the Constitution.
1.2 An Advisory or Working Group structure enabling each of the participating public safety services, i.e. police, fire, ambulance and other civil contingency responders to consider, pursue or advise on issues specific to that group, may be established. A Chair and representatives for each of these groups shall be appointed annually by the Executive Committee.
1.3 The Chair of any Advisory Group, except the Commercial Advisory Group, established under the provisions of Section 1.2 of Article Two of this Constitution, and of any Working Group established by the Executive Committee for any research or development purposes, shall be a Full Member.
Other persons appointed to Advisory Groups or Working Groups may be drawn from any category of membership and non-members may be co-opted where it is in the interests of the Association to do so.
Section 2: Membership
2.1 Membership of the Association consists of the following categories:
Full Member
Associate Member
Commercial Member
Life Member
Corporate Member
2.2 The eligibility criteria for each category of Membership is set-out below.
Section 3: Applications
3.1 Applications for membership shall be processed in accordance with the current policies and procedures of the Association.
3.2 Only persons who reside and work in the United Kingdom, the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man are eligible to become Full members of the Association.
3.3 All Association members listed above are also recognised as International Associate Members of APCO International Inc.
Section 4: Full Member
4.1 Persons, who are responsible for, or retired from, the management, specification, design, installation, maintenance, operation of communications and information technology designed to enhance the delivery of services for the benefit and the safety of the public , are eligible for this category of Membership.
4.2 Applicants for Full Membership must be:
(a) employed by, or retired from:
(i) a recognised public safety organisation; or
(ii) a department of central or local government having responsibility for the safety of the public or
(iii) an organisation or body recognised as a public utility or public service provider and which provides, direct to the public, personnel, service or support in times of an emergency, major incident or disaster; provided that those persons so employed provide direct links with the public on behalf of the public utility or service provider through the use of communications or information systems, designed to enhance the delivery of services for the benefit and the safety of the public or who are directly employed in the management or maintenance of communication or information systems or equipment; designed to enhance the delivery of services for the benefit and the safety of the public or
(b) an organisation or body contracted by:
(i) a recognised organisation responsible for providing communication and information technology designed to enhance the delivery of services for the benefit and the safety of the public; or
(ii) a group of recognised organisations operating under a collaborative agreement, and with the responsibility for providing communication and information technology designed to enhance the delivery of services for the benefit and the safety of the public.
4.3 A retired person who subsequently is self-employed, may be hold full membership and may hold office or positions in the organisation with full voting rights, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, providing that there is no commercial interest that conflicts with the principle of the Association which seeks to remain neutral from any commercial interest or bias. Generally, the Executive Committee will award this category of membership to any self employed person who is not manufacturing a product or who is not contracted to work with someone manufacturing or providing a product. The final decision in any case will rest with the Executive Committee.
Section 5: Associate Member
5.1 Those persons, who at the discretion of the Executive Committee, may have the skills or knowledge to further enhance the aims of the Association.
5.2 Associate members shall not have voting rights and shall not serve as an elected member of the Executive Committee.
Section 6: Commercial Member
6.1 Those persons, employed in business or industry, who receive compensation in any form for services rendered or products sold, are eligible for this category of membership. Self- Employed persons, previously employed as a member of a recognised public safety organisation may, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, apply and be eligible for Full membership in accordance with Section 4 of this Article.
