top of page

ILLINOIS POLYGRAPH SOCIETY CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

(Revised 12/06/2018)

ARTICLE I - Name

The name of this organization shall be the Illinois Polygraph Society. Hereinafter referred to as the IPS. The IPS a non-profit corporation, duly chartered under the laws of the State of Illinois.

​

ARTICLE II - Purpose

The objectives of the Illinois Polygraph Society (IPS) shall be to advance the use and general understanding of the polygraph profession, through scientific research; through the unification of polygraph examiners across the State of Illinois; through education of the public and of the IPS membership along with the promotion of high standards of practice by its membership.

GOALS:

1. To establish ethical, moral and professional standards for acceptance and on-going membership in this Society.

2. To advance and support scientific research, training and continuing education into advanced polygraph techniques and instrumentation, as well as to provide a forum for dissemination of this information to our members, the polygraph profession and to the public.

3. To foster camaraderie, fellowship and networking among the members of our Society and our profession.

4. To govern the conduct of our members by requiring adherence to professional, ethical, and moral standards, so as not to bring discredit or public ridicule on this Society or the polygraph profession.

5. To maintain and develop a favorable professional environment within the State of Illinois for the practice of psychophysiological detection of deception (PDD).

​

ARTICLE III - Membership

There shall be five types of Membership: Full Member, Affiliate Member, Corporate Member, Honorary Member, and Lifetime Member. To qualify for any of the types of membership, the applicant: Shall not have been convicted of or found guilty by any Federal, State, or County court of a felony crime, any misdemeanor crime involving sexual or moral misconduct, or for the violation of the civil rights of any person. (Any other convictions will be subject to review before approval by the Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the BOD.

1. Shall not have been found guilty, or plead guilty, of in any court, labor hearing, or administrative hearing for violation of the civil rights of any person and/or found guilty of any allegation, which is deemed by the Board of Directors to be injurious, or to be likely to discredit the polygraph profession.

2. Shall meet all of the qualifications for the categories of membership listed below.

3. Shall submit a written application to the Board of Directors, which requires a simple majority for approval.

Full Member

To qualify for this category, the applicant must hold a current and valid Illinois Detection of Deception Examiner's license, which is in good standing with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation or be employed within the State of Illinois, as a Certified Federal Polygraph Examiner.

Affiliate Member

The Affiliate Member applicant must possess a sincere interest in the polygraph field and may include representatives of polygraph instrument manufacturers, persons involved in the research of polygraph instrumentation and techniques, and any other persons who are approved by the Board of Directors as having a valid or professional interest in the polygraph profession. Any applicant who is a polygraph examiner but does not possess the qualifications for Full Membership will fall into this category. Corporate Membership

Applicants for Corporate Membership must be persons from corporations. associations and organizations who wish to support the Illinois Polygraph Society and its goals.

Honorary Membership

Once each year, the Board of Directors may consider the name of one person who has rendered distinguished service and support to the polygraph profession, to the membership for their approval to bestow this honorary award. Such member shall pay no annual dues and have no voting rights unless already established as a Full Member.

Lifetime Membership

Each year, the Board of Directors may consider the name of a single IPS member to the general membership for the honor of Life Membership. A Life Member is a person who has rendered outstanding service to the Illinois Polygraph Society and who has contributed exemplary support to the polygraph profession. The Life Member will be recognized as a Full Member and shall not be assessed annual dues or seminar registration fees. Life Members have the right to vote in all matters of IPS business and are eligible to hold any appointed or elected office.


Article IV - Dues

The Board of Directors will determine in Executive Session, prior to the annual meeting, the amount of dues to be assessed. Any increase or reduction of the amount of dues shall be presented to the general membership for approval at the annual meeting. Approval shall be by a simple majority of the attending members who are eligible for voting.

The notice of dues will be sent out no later than December 31st of each calendar year. Members, other than Honorary and Lifetime Members, must pay their dues by the March 31st of each calendar year. A reminder notice will be sent to any member who has not submitted their dues by February 15 th. Those members who have not paid their dues by March 31st will be sent a final notice and charged an additional $25.00 late fee. If the member has not paid their dues by May 15, th their membership will be suspended. If a member does not pay their dues by the end of the calendar year, a renewal application must be submitted to the Board of Directors along with all delinquent dues, up to two years total elapsed dues.


ARTICLE V - Voting Rights and Privileges

Only Full Members and Life Members, who are in good standing, shall be eligible to vote. Absentee ballots may be submitted via U.S. Postal Service or e-mailed and received by the IPS Secretary one day prior to the annual meeting date.


ARTICLE VI- Disciplinary Proceedings of the IPS

This article applies to each type of membership. Every member, upon acceptance into the IPS, shall agree to comply with this Constitution and its By-laws. Accordingly, any and all members are subject to the findings and disciplinary actions, up to and including expulsion from membership.

Public criticism regarding professional conduct of one member by another is condemned and expressly forbidden for all IPS members. Discussion within the Board of Directors about illegal behavior or unprofessional practice as a polygraph examiner, as a part of an official IPS Board of Directors inquiry is excluded from this By-Law.

Allegations of misconduct by an IPS Member include, but are not limited to the following:

a. Illegal, unethical, or dishonorable behavior;

b. Criminal acts, whether felony or misdemeanor;

c. Acts involving moral turpitude;

d. Conduct which injures or tends to injure the IPS, adversely affects its reputation or which is contrary to or destructive of its purposes or objectives; or any member who wrongfully defames the name or reputation of another member shall be subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Any member who knowingly makes a false certification or endorsement regarding an applicant's eligibility and/or qualifications will be subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Allegations of misconduct by a member must be submitted in writing to any Board Member. The Board Member receiving said written allegations will forward the information to the President within three (3) business days. Under no circumstances will the Board Member make any determination of the validity of the grievance, or delay its forwarding to the President. Upon receipt of any grievance, the President will immediately forward a copy of the allegation to all members of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, at its discretion, will determine if further action is warranted. The original copy of the grievance will be placed in the official files of the IPS and retained for three (3) years, or until it is determined by the Board of Directors that the grievance has no merit, or is unfounded.

If, in the opinion of a simple majority of the Board of Directors, further action is warranted on a grievance, the Board will direct the President to appoint a Grievance Committee, in accordance with Article XI of this Constitution.

The Grievance Committee will review the grievance and the Member against whom the charges have been made will be promptly notified by the Grievance Committee Chairperson. A written response from said Member will be requested to be forwarded to the Chairperson within thirty (30) days of notification of the grievance. The Grievance Committee Chairperson may grant an extension of time, for cause.

Upon receipt of the final investigation from the Grievance Committee, the Board of Directors will determine, based on the severity and nature of the accusation(s) and the proximity of the next Board meeting, if a hearing is to be conducted in person or by conference call. The Chair- person will notify the accused and the Grievance Committee of the location, date, and time of the hearing by certified mail, return receipt requested. The accused may choose to present his/her case either in person or in writing. The accused may present any witnesses who have relevant information. The Board may call any witnesses it deems necessary. All witnesses will remain outside the hearing room and are not allowed to discuss information relevant to the matter under investigation. The IPS will bear the cost of Board or Grievance Committee members directly related to the investigation and hearing, with prior Board approval. The IPS will not bear any costs related to the accused.

Based upon the information provided within the grievance and the information provided by the Grievance Committee, along with hearing information, the Board of Directors will determine if the allegation is Indicated or Unfounded. An Indicated allegation indicates that the preponderance of evidence supports that the allegation occurred; while an Unfounded allegation indicates that the preponderance of evidence did not support the allegation.

Disciplinary Action will be decided by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board and include the following options:

a. Verbal Reprimand

b. Written Reprimand

c. Probation

d. Suspension of membership (not to exceed 12 months) with reapplication required

e. Termination of membership- no reapplication allowed.

At any time after the receipt of an allegation against a member, the accused may elect to resign. The Board of Directors, by a simple majority vote, will decide if the resignation is accepted with or without prejudice. A vote of prejudice indicates that the allegation has enough merit to warrant the Board calling for the appointment of a Grievance Committee and subsequently rendering disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Accordingly, any member who elects to resign cannot reapply for membership until at least 24 months have elapsed from the date of the final finding by the Board of Directors. The Board will consider any information available from that prior allegation in determining the member's fitness for renewed membership.

​

ARTICLE VII- Officers and Directors

The officers of the IPS shall consist of: Counsel to the Board, (President during the prior year). President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and four Directors. The President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Directors must be Full Members and hold a current and valid Illinois Detection of Deception Examiner's license, which is in good standing with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The President and Vice-President shall be elected by a majority vote of the membership (present at the annual meeting or those having filed a timely absentee ballot). The President and Vice President shall serve the office for a period of one year and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by a majority vote of the membership present at the annual meeting of the IPS. They shall serve the office for a period of two years and may be reelected for successive terms. The four Directors shall be elected by a majority vote of the membership (present at the annual meeting or those having filed a timely absentee ballot). The Directors shall serve staggered terms of two years, thus requiring the election of two members each year. The IPS Board of Directors shall consist of all the elected officers along with the four Directors.

A quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of at least four members of the Board present. The Board of Directors shall be the responsible body for the administration of the IPS. In the Interval between annual meetings of the IPS, the Board of Directors shall meet regularly and have the authority to take such actions as are necessary to conduct the business and affairs of the IPS in accordance with this Constitution and By-Laws. The president shall make a report of the Board's transactions at each annual meeting of the IPS.

In the event of death or resignation of any officer of the IPS, the President shall be empowered to select a member in good standing to serve to un-expired term of the deceased or resigned officer. In the event of death or resignation of the President, the Vice President shall perform the duties of the President until the next annual election. If the Vice President is deceased or unable to serve, the Board of Directors, by majority vote, will appoint the acting Vice President for the unexpired term.

​

ARTICLE VIII - Duties of the Officers

1. The President shall be presiding Chairman of the Board of Directors at all official meetings of the IPS. He/She shall have general supervision over the affairs and administration of the IPS. He/She shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may properly assign to him or as may be provided by this Constitution and By-Laws. He/She shall represent the IPS at all official functions and have the authority to designate the Vice President or other Board Member to act in his/her behalf. He/She shall call meeting of the IPS or of the Board of Directors when requested to do so by a majority of the Board of Directors or upon written request of one half of the voting members in good standing in the IPS. He/She shall recommend committee chairman for approval by the Board of Directors.

2. The Vice President shall perform those official duties as assigned by the President. In the event of the inability of the President to act, the Vice President shall perform the duties of and have the same powers and authority as the President. In addition, the Vice President shall have general supervision over those committees as designated by the President, and will keep the Board of Directors apprised of the committee's status or progress.

3. The Counsel of the Board shall be the immediate past President of the IPS. He/She shall act in advisory capacity to the Board and shall have general supervision over those committees designated by the President. He/She will vote only in the case of a tie or to achieve a quorum.

4. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to cause to be determined in the proper books all resolutions, minutes and proceedings of the IPS and of the Board of Directors. He/She shall conduct correspondence relating to the IPS, issue notices of all meetings of the IPS and of the Board of Directors. He/She shall keep a current record of the membership and shall perform all duties pertaining to the office of Secretary that the IPS may from time to time direct. He/She shall publish annually a list of members and type of membership held.

5. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all funds and securities of the IPS. He/She shall act as financial advisor to the President and Board of Directors of all budgetary matters and problems of finance. He/She shall keep accurate records of receipts and disbursements and shall pay all bills promptly. His/Her records shall be made available upon request by the Auditing Committee and shall be audited by them annually prior to the annual meeting of the IPS and to the Board of Directors as to the status of the treasury when requested to do so. The Treasurer will reimburse any member of the IPS for all authorized official expenditures incurred in behalf of the IPS. Receipts will be furnished to the Treasurer for reimbursement and must be approved by the President or the Board of Directors. The Treasurer will provide the Board of Directors with a financial statement listing income and itemized expenditures on a quarterly basis. At each regular meeting the Treasurer will read to the membership a financial statement listing all expenditures and income since the last regular meeting.

​

ARTICLE IX - Amendments

1. This Constitution may be amended at the annual meeting of the IPS by a favorable vote of two thirds majority of the members voting. No amendments will be voted upon unless a copy of the proposed amendment shall have been sent to every member of the IPS at least thirty days prior to the annual meeting.

2. Absentee Ballots may be counted in accordance with Article V.

3. Amendments may be proposed by any member to the Board of Directors and shall be submitted to the general membership either on order of the Board of Directors or on petition signed by any five members in good standing of the IPS.

4. Amendments shall take effect immediately when approved unless otherwise stated in the amendment.

​

ARTICLE X - Parliamentary Authority

The Parliamentary Authority for the IPS shall be Robert's Rules of Order (Revised) in all instances not covered by this Constitution and By-Laws.


ARTICLE XI- IPS Committees

The Committee Chairman may be appointed by the President with approval of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Committee may select additional members to assist him/her in performing the duties of said committee. The Committee Chairman will keep the Board of Directors apprised of their activities on a regular basis.

I. The Membership Committee shall be responsible to determine the qualifications of an applicant for all types of membership in the IPS. It shall perform such investigations as necessary to determine the eligibility of membership by such applicants. The Membership Committee shall present its findings on all applicants to the Board of Directors for appropriate actions.

2. The Nominating Committee shall be responsible to poll the general membership of the IPS to determine the desire of any member who wishes to be nominated for elected office in the IPS or service on an IPS Committee. The results of such poll shall be presented to the Board of Directors for appropriate action.

3. The Grievance Committee shall be responsible to investigate all complaints against an IPS member within the IPS guidelines and current legal practices. The results of such investigation and their recommendations shall be presented to the Board of Directors for appropriate action.

4. The Audit Committee shall audit all financial books and records of the IPS Treasurer annually. The findings of such audit and any recommendations by the Audit Committee shall be presented to the Board of Directors for appropriate action.

5. The Legislative Committee shall be responsible to keep the IPS Board of Directors informed on all legislation activities, both State and Federal, which may have an impact upon the polygraph profession. The Legislative Committee shall recommend to the Board of Directors procedures or directions to be pursued by the IPS in regard to these matters. The Chairman of the Legislative Committee shall be in charge of any disbursements through the Legislative Fund for legislative activities and directed and approved by the Board of Directors.

6. The Program Committee shall be responsible for correlating the IPS Seminar functions. They shall research and present to the Board of Directors proposals regarding the potential dates, speakers, subject matter, seminar sites, accommodations, meals, transportation and all logistics and expenses to be incurred. Upon receipt of the Program Committee's proposals, the Board of Directors shall make the determination or a program to be embarked upon.

7. The Awards Committee shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors the names of any person and reasons for nominating that person for an IPS Award. They shall also provide the Board of Directors with options of awards and attendant costs for the Board's approval.

8. The Research Committee shall be responsible for keeping the IPS aware of any developments in polygraph instrumentation and research or allied disciplines. The Research Committee shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding embarking upon any course of research. They will make known the general membership to the IPS the results of any approved research study.

9. The Standards and Ethics Committee shall keep the Board of Directors informed regarding methods of improving the standardization of polygraph techniques and training. Further, they shall construct and continually review the code of ethics of the IPS and make recommendations to the Board of Directors for appropriate action.

I0. The Public Relations Committee shall research and present material and suggestions to be considered by the Board of Directors for dissemination to sectors of the general public and the polygraph community, which will enhance the image of the IPS and the polygraph in a positive manner. Revised 12/06/2018

bottom of page