1. Title:

 

The organisation shall be known as The Catholic Police Guild of England & Wales (CPG).

 

2. Objects:

​

The objects of the Guild are:

​

• to provide a fraternal environment through which members may exercise their professional roles and duties within the teachings of the Roman Catholic faith.

 

• to provide a focal point of opportunity for all employees of the police service of England & Wales to refer when in need of spiritual guidance in respect of their professional duties.

 

• to foster respect and love within the family.

 

• to foster the belief in justice and loyalty

 

• to encourage integrity, sincerity, truthfulness, kindliness and strength of character

 

3. Membership:

 

Full membership shall be open to all Catholics employed by recognised police forces of England & Wales who are:

 

• serving or retired police officers

 

• serving or retired police staff 

 

• serving or retired Special Constables

 

Associate membership, as a ‘Friend of the Guild’, shall be open to any person (catholic or otherwise) citing a valid reason for wishing to be so recognised.

 

Membership may be refused or terminated by the Executive Committee at any time.

 

4. Honorary President:    

 

Any person associated with the Guild may be appointed as Honorary President.   The position shall be as titular head of the Guild without an operational role except as requested by the Executive Committee.   Such appointment shall be:

 

• at the behest of the Executive Committee

 

• for a period of three years

 

• renewable for a further three years but no longer

 

5. Chaplain:

 

The role of Chaplain shall be offered to a Catholic priest serving within a diocese of England & Wales.   Such appointment shall be:

 

• at the behest of the Executive Committee

 

• for a period of five years

 

• renewable ad infinitum

 

• accompanied by an annual honorarium determined by the Executive Committee.

 

6. Honorary Members:

 

Any person deemed worthy may be appointed by the Executive Committee to be an Honorary member of the Guild.

 

7. Executive Committee:

 

The Executive Committee shall be the operational body of the Guild and shall meet at least four times each year.   It shall consist of the following:   

 

• Chairman

 

• Hon. Secretary

 

• Hon. Treasurer

 

• Chaplain

 

• Regional representatives

 

• Requiem organiser

• Communications organiser

 

• Membership Secretary

 

• Events Secretary

 

The Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer shall be the Officers of the Guild.

 

An Executive Committee meeting can only be held if a quorum of members are present.   A quorum shall comprise four members of the Executive Committee one of whom shall be an Officer of the Guild.

 

8. Roles within the Executive Committee:

 

8.1 Chairman:

 

The Chairman must be a serving police officer.

​

The Executive Committee following its formation will invite a Guild member to act as Chairman. The Chairman shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting and may be re-invited annually.

 

The Executive Committee may nominate a Vice-chairman or Acting Chairman at any time.

 

8.2 Hon. Secretary:

 

The Secretary shall be elected annually by members at the Annual General Meeting and may be nominated by the Executive Committee or proposed and seconded by the members provided that in the latter case 21 days notice of such nomination is given to the Hon. Secretary.   In either case the nominee must indicate his/her willingness to stand.

 

The Secretary shall serve for one year and may be re-elected annually

 ad infinitum.

 

8.3 Hon. Treasurer:

 

The Treasurer shall be elected annually by members at the Annual General Meeting and may be nominated by the Executive Committee or proposed and seconded by the members provided that in the latter case 21 days notice of such nomination is given to the Hon. Secretary.   In either case the nominee must indicate his/her willingness to stand.

 

The Treasurer shall serve for one year and may be re-elected annually

 ad infinitum.

 

8.4 Other roles:

 

With the exception of the Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer, all other posts shall be determined by the outgoing and newly elected Officers of the Guild, and notified to all members within six weeks of the Annual General Meeting.​  There shall be no time limit for service on the Executive Committee for those so nominated.   

 

The Chairman may co-opt to the Executive Committee any other member for a specific purpose or to fill a vacancy until the next AGM.

 

9. Regions:

 

A region of the Guild may be set up in any diocese of England & Wales with the consent of the Executive Committee and a representative of that region shall have a place on the Executive Committee.

 

More than one region may be formed within a diocese and a region may embrace one or more diocese.   All significant matters discussed at a regional meeting shall be reported to the next Executive Committee meeting.

 

Regional representatives shall be afforded full details of members within their region.

 

10. Fellowship of the Guild:

 

The Executive Committee may appoint any member to ‘The Fellowship of the Guild’.    Such conferment may be made if the Executive Committee determine that the said member has provided long and meritorious service or in some special way has enhanced the standing of the Guild.

 

Any discussion in the Executive Committee about such conferment should be in the absence of the member under discussion and that if present he/she should be asked to withdraw or the matter put over to another date.

 

11. Subscriptions:

 

An annual membership subscription, as determined by the Executive Committee, shall be payable by each member and delivered to the Hon. Treasurer.

 

The subscription for ‘Friends of the Guild’ shall be one half of that determined for full members.

 

The following shall be exempt from payment of a membership subscription:

 

• The Chaplain

 

• The Honorary President

 

• Fellows of the Guild

 

• Honorary members

 

12. Guild Year:

 

The Guild Year shall run from 1st January to 31st. December.

 

13. Annual General Meeting:

 

An Annual General Meeting will be held each year no later than 30th. June.

 

A Special General Meeting may be called by the Executive Committee or by a minimum of fifteen members provided that 21 days notice is given to members and the reason for calling such a meeting is declared.

 

14. Accounts:

 

The accounts of the Guild shall be presented at each Executive Meeting and each year the annual accounts shall be prepared for the AGM having first been presented to the Auditors for examination.

 

The Executive Committee shall have the discretion to determine how the Guild monies shall be spent including the payment of honorariums and reasonable expenses.

 

Any cheque drawn on Guild account(s) shall be signed by two of the three members nominated by the NEC .   The exception shall be for any cheque for £50 or less which may be signed by the Treasurer alone.

 

15. Auditors:

 

Two members of the Guild who hold no other office will be appointed as Auditors at the AGM.

 

All accounts presented to the AGM must be signed by the auditors.

 

16. Voting:

 

For a change to the Constitution:   

 

No change shall be made to the Constitution except at an AGM or Special General Meeting held for that purpose.  

 

A change to the Constitution may only be made if the voting at the AGM or SGM achieves a two-thirds majority in favour of the change.   The Chairman shall not have a casting vote.

 

The Executive Committee may, at their discretion, allow postal voting.

 

Ratification of Constitution

 

Any change in the Constitution must, after a positive vote at an AGM or SGM, be forwarded to  the Bishop’s Conference for ratification.

 

In all other cases:

 

All votes taken at any other meeting of the Guild shall be determined by a simple majority.   In the event of a tied vote the Chairman shall have a casting vote. 

 

The ‘Friends of the Guild’ shall not have voting rights.

 

 

17. Annual Events:

 

A Requiem Mass will be held in November each year for all deceased police officers, police staff and members of the Guild.

 

 A Guild Anniversary Mass may be held each year at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

 

The Executive Committee may plan, arrange or support any other event at their discretion.

​

18. Closure of the Catholic Police Guild:

 

The Executive Committee shall call a SGM for the purpose of terminating the existence of the Guild.

 

19. The Guild Prayer:

​

Most Merciful God, giver of all authority, by the merits of Thy Divine Son and through the intercession of His Holy Mother and our glorious patron St. Michael, grant that we may this day and every day, overcome all temptations, especially to injustice and disloyalty, and with our minds inflamed by Thy Holy Spirit perform all our duties in such a manner as may be pleasing to Thy Divine Will, so that when called to report for the last time we may not be found wanting, and may be allowed to remain for ever in Thy Presence.   Through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen.

 

Supporting Document

​

Any matters herein are for guidance only.    This document is to be regarded as a supporting article for the Constitution but does not form part of the Constitution. 

​

1. General:

​

The Executive Committee may authorise, on a temporary or permanent basis, the formation of a sub-committee for any purpose provided that at least one member of the sub-committee is a member of the Executive Committee.

​

The Executive Committee may recommend the termination of the Guild if membership falls below 25 full members or the total balances in all accounts falls below £3000.00.

​

If the Guild should be terminated then any monies remaining are to be donated to a similar catholic organization as determined by the Executive Committee.   No member shall benefit financially from the closure of the Guild.

​

2. Annual Requiem:

​

• At the Annual Requiem the names of police officers and members of police staff who have died in the line of duty during the previous twelve months should be read out during the bidding prayers along with members of the Guild who have died since the last Requiem.

 

• Officers attending should be encouraged to wear any medal awarded to them.   Serving members should, where appropriate, wear uniform.

 

• It shall be preferred that the current Chairman, along with his/her family members, should occupy the front row on the right hand side of the church and past holders of this office be seated close by.

 

• It shall be preferred that the chief guest of the Guild should occupy   the front row on the left hand side of the church along with the current Honorary President and his/her family or other senior Guild member. 

 

• It shall be preferred that the Chairman should read the Bidding Prayers and that the other readings be given by members or guests of the Guild.

 

3. Duties of Members:

 

• to daily recite the Guild Prayer

 

• to promptly pay the annual subscription

 

• to bring to the notice of the Executive Committee the death of a member

 

• to bring to the notice of the Executive Committee any matter that may affect the good standing of the Guild

 

4. Death of member:

 

A Mass should be celebrated (locally if possible) for a deceased member of the Guild and a representative of the CPG should attend.

 

5. Role responsibility:

 

5.1 Honorary President:

 

• act as titular head of the Guild

 

• in discussion with the Executive Committee represent the Guild at any meeting or function 

 

• be available for discussion or to give advice to the Executive Committee on any subject peculiar to the Guild

 

5.2 Chaplain:   (subject to his responsibilities as a diocesan priest)

 

• establish and maintain liaison with chaplains in any police force area

 

• advise the Executive Committee on any relevant matters appertaining to the Roman Catholic faith

 

• be available to all members of the Guild on matters spiritual

 

5.3 Chairman:

 

• to act as the operational head of the Guild

 

• to co-ordinate the strategic plans of the Guild

 

• represent the Guild at exterior meetings and functions or delegate accordingly

 

• oversee, encourage and support the work of regional committees

 

• prepare an annual report for the AGM

 

5 .4 Secretary:

 

• liaise with Chairman to prepare agendas for all Executive meetings

 

• deal with all correspondence relating to the Guild

 

• advise and notify Executive members of relevant events

 

• record minutes of Executive Committee meetings and circulate

 

• record minutes of AGM and circulate

 

• ensure that CPG website is relevant and up-to-date

 

• prepare an annual report for AGM

​

5.5 Treasurer:

​

• deal with all monies of the Guild

 

• ensure that all finances of the CPG are properly recorded

 

• oversee the collection of annual subscriptions

 

• advise the Executive Committee of the financial state of the Guild

 

• maintain an Income & Expenditure account

 

• prepare CPG accounts each year for submission to the auditors prior to the AGM

 

• prepare an annual report for the AGM

 

• explore funding and sponsorship opportunities

 

• ensure that a balance sheet is produced for each CPG funded event

 

5.6 Regional Representatives:

 

• act as (or nominate) chairman for those meetings held within their region

 

• attend Executive Committee meetings

 

• report to the Executive Committee meeting all substantive matters discussed within their regional meetings

 

• ensure that liaison with force chaplains is maintained

 

• ensure and oversee growth of membership within their region

 

• ensure representation is made at relevant force meetings within their region

 

• oversee plans for regional events

 

• set up, where possible, force representation within their region

 

• oversee CPG publicity within their region

 

5.7 Membership Secretary:

 

• maintain a data base of CPG members

 

• process all applications for CPG membership

 

• maintain an overview of members and advise Executive Committee of relevant changes (i.e. deaths, joining, etc.)

 

• issue membership cards once application is endorsed by the Executive Committee

 

5.8 Press/News Secretary:

 

• co-ordinate CPG press releases

 

• explore opportunities for publicity of the Guild

 

• establish and maintain liaison with relevant publications (police and catholic press)

 

• advise Executive Committee of all related matters

 

• in liaison with Secretary prepare a newsletter every four months for publication (website and hard copy)

• ​

• 5.9 Auditors:

 

• examine all accounts of the Guild as prepared by the Treasurer and certify correctness or otherwise.

​

​

Last amendments made following Annual General Meeting, Tuesday 19 September 2023