BYLAWS - PROCEDURAL ORDER

This procedural order establishes a uniform policy relating to the operational responsibilities and assignment of the Disaster Aid Response Team (DART) to an emergency operation.

ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

CHIEF OF POLICE
DART shall have an authorized strength as established by the Chief of Police. Volunteers serve at the pleasure of the Chief of Police without compensation. No political action of any kind will be taken in the name of this organization. Therefore, no substantial part of the activities of DART shall consist of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation. The organization shall not participate or intervene in any political campaign (including the publishing or distribution of statements) on behalf of any candidate for public office.

OPERATIONS DIVISION COMMANDER
Organizationally, DART shall be located within the Support Services Division of the Police Department. The DART Coordinator shall report directly to the Captain commanding the Support Services Division.

MEMBERS
Applicants for membership shall be required to comply with the following as established by the Chief of Police:

1. Fingerprints and photographs
2. Thorough background investigation

All members of the unit will be designated by the Chief of Police and will adhere to all Police Department orders and regulations. See also ADMISSION PROCEDURES, REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP.

COMMAND STRUCTURE

DART Coordinator:
A sworn police officer is appointed as DART Coordinator by the Chief of Police. The Coordinator shall be accountable for the administration of DART. The Coordinator will oversee the operation of the unit and serve as liaison with the Police Department and all law enforcement and emergency services agencies on DART's behalf.

DART Assistant Coordinator:
A sworn officer is appointed as DART Assistant Coordinator by the Chief of Police. The Assistant Coordinator shall assume the responsibilities of the Coordinator in the absence of the appointed officer, and shall oversee all personnel issues as directed by the Coordinator.

Executive Board:
The Executive Board shall consist of five (5) members of DART and shall include the Commander/President, Secretary, Treasurer, and two (2) Members-at-Large.

Commander/President:
A DART member shall be recommended by the Coordinator and approved by the Chief of Police for an indefinite term as Commander/President. It shall be the duty of the Commander/President to attend all regular and staff meetings of the organization and preside over these meetings. The Commander/President shall maintain or cause to be maintained complete records, and shall be responsible for all operational matters. The Commander/President shall keep the Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator apprised of all facets of any operation in which DART is involved.

The Commander/President may sign warrants or checks for the disbursement of funds and shall perform such other duties as may be required by the organization or the Chief of Police.

In the absence of the Commander/President a Board Member designated by the Coordinator will assume all responsibilities of the Commander/President.

Secretary:
A DART member shall be elected by secret ballot from the general membership in January and shall hold office for one year as Secretary, commencing with the first Board meeting of February, and shall serve without remuneration. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to attend all regular and staff meetings of the organization, take notes of the proceedings, and keep a true and full record thereof.

The Secretary shall present all communications, documents, and formal correspondence, and shall offer the minutes of the previous meeting for approval. The Secretary is editor of the quarterly DART newsletter, "The Responder". The Secretary shall perform such other duties as may be delegated by the organization. When succeeded in office, the Secretary shall immediately deliver all books, records, and other property belonging to the organization to the successor.

Treasurer:
A DART member shall be elected by secret ballot from the general membership in January and shall hold office for one year as Treasurer, commencing with the first board meeting of February, and shall serve without remuneration. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to attend all regular and staff meetings of the organization.

The Treasurer shall receive all monies on behalf of the organization, entering same in the ledger provided for the purpose, and keep a full and complete record of all funds received and disbursed. The Treasurer shall deposit all funds belonging to the organization in a local bank designated by the Board. The Treasurer shall also ensure processing and maintenance of personnel records. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as delegated by the organization. When succeeded in office, the Treasurer shall immediately deliver all books, records, and other property belonging to the organization to the successor.

The Treasurer may sign warrants or checks for the disbursement of funds with approval of the Commander/President.

Other duties of the Treasurer shall include maintenance and auditing of personnel records, maintenance of equipment inventory, disbursement of DART issued property, and processing new members for admission.

Members-at-Large:
Two (2) DART members shall be elected by secret ballot from the general membership at the January meeting as Members-at-Large They shall serve for one year commencing the first board meeting of February.

Members-at-Large shall be responsible for ensuring the interests of the general membership are fully and properly represented in all matters before the Board. Members-at-Large will be assigned as initial contacts for prospective members. With the other members of the Board, Members-at-Large will take a leadership responsibility for planning and executing the regularly scheduled training drills for the general membership. Upon approval by the Board, the Members-at-Large may be assigned additional responsibilities for the benefit of the general membership.

Leadership Council:
All Skill Team Leaders and Resource Managers shall comprise the Leadership Council. The Leadership Council shall assist the Board in all operational matters while providing continued focus on membership training. The Leadership Council shall meet monthly with the Board or more frequently as circumstances dictate.

Skill Team Leaders:
Skill Teams may be formed by the membership with approval of the Board. Skill Team Leaders will be appointed by the Board, and will serve on the Leadership Council. Skill Teams will focus on advanced techniques to extend the capabilities of DART where said techniques can only function within a team context. Such teams
will include, but will not be limited to, the following: Technical Rescue, Dive and Nautical, Swift Water Rescue, and Limited Access Entry. Each Skill Team will have specific requirements for membership qualification.

Resource Managers:
Resource Managers will be appointed by the Board. These managers will oversee the development of specialty skills that extend the capability of DART and have an individual context. Such resources may include, but will not be limited to, the following: Advanced Medical, Mountain Bike, Equestrian, Communications, Orienteering, Technology, and Canine. The Resource Manager will serve on the Leadership Council.

Committees:
Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the Commander/President for specific purposes as circumstances dictate.

POLICIES

Dues:
Dues or assessments may be levied on the members as determined by DART Board, subject to the approval of the Chief of police.

Quorum:
One-half (1/2) the active members of the DART organization constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at regular or special meetings. Three (3) members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for any Board meeting. Five (5) members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for any Council meeting.

Rules of Order:
Except as otherwise provided herein-above, the meetings of  this organization shall be guided by the rules of procedures set forth in Robert's Rules of Order, Seventy-fifth Anniversary edition.

Disbanding:
In the event the Los Gatos Police DART is disbanded and the organization terminated, the funds and assets then possessed by the said organization shall be divided among the active duty members.

Insurance:
DART members, while engaged in an emergency or a drill, are covered by Workmen's Compensation Insurance provided by the State of California, Office of Office of Emergency Services Disaster Workers' Policy.

Policy Matters Not Covered:
All policy matters not covered will be referred to the DART Coordinator for determination. His action shall be final and binding upon this organization and its members, unless superseded by the Police Department Support Services Division Commander or the Chief of Police.

ADMISSION PROCEDURE

The following procedure shall be followed to establish membership in the Disaster Aid Response Team:

First Meeting Attended

1. The candidate is introduced to the general membership.
2. The candidate attends an orientation session held during the breakout session of the general meeting.
3. The application form is completed and submitted by the candidate.
4. A Member-at-Large is assigned the candidate as a contact resource.
5. The Coordinator begins a background check on the candidate.

If the DART Executive Board has determined that a membership limit has been reached, the prospective candidate shall sign a wait-list form. When an opening becomes available, wait-listed prospects will be invited by the Board to begin the membership process. The Board reserves the right to select on the basis of skills, availability, and previous experience.

Second Meeting Attended

1. Before this meeting, all background information is gathered by the Coordinator.
2. The prospective member is advised to begin selecting areas of interest that can be explored for individual specialized training.
3. The prospective member schedules training for team standard first aid  and CPR.

Third Meeting Attended

1. At the Board meeting prior to the third meeting attended, the assigned Member-at-Large will recommend to the Board whether the candidate should move to full membership.

a. If a problem with admission of the candidate surfaces either through the background check or through contact with the subject in the previous period of participation, the candidate's admission status will be continued until such time as the Board has approved admission or dismissed the candidate for cause. In the event of a continuance, the candidate will be interviewed by a member or members of the Board to clarify areas of concern.

b. The questionable member will be evaluated for admission for a period not to exceed six (6) months from the time of the first meeting attended. At that time, the candidate's admission will be terminated.

2. At the third meeting, the approved new member will be processed for fingerprints, photograph, and identification card.

3. The member may purchase the uniform after this meeting, and may participate in DART activities within the limits of verifiable training and preparation.

4. New members status will remain probationary until certification of DART standard First Aid and CPR has been verified.

At the subsequent Board meeting, the Board will make final approval to full membership for the individual. A call sign will be assigned. At the next general meeting, the new member will be sworn in as an active member of DART, thus qualifying him/her as a Disaster Service Worker. He/she will receive uniform patches and a vehicle dashboard placard. The member will pay the annual dues of $25 to the treasury, prorated from the first meeting attended.

REQUIREMENTS OF MEMBERSHIP

To maintain active membership status, the member must comply with the following each year:

• Have no more than three (3) unexcused absences to general meetings.
• Attend all mandatory DART events, including training drills.
• Maintain a clean police record and positive contact with the Los Gatos Police Department as well as other law enforcement agencies
• Maintain appropriate conduct while representing DART
• Pay appropriate dues
• Obtain the standard DART uniforms
• Fulfill all standards for appearance and presentation
• Participate in ongoing skill training
• Maintain current certification in DART standard First Aid and CPR.

Non-compliance with the requirements of active membership may be grounds for dismissal from DART. The following dismissal procedure may be invoked:

• The Executive Board, upon quorum majority, shall put a member on notice for not complying with the requirements of active membership.
• An attempt shall be made to establish with the member methods to correct deficiencies within a specified time.
• If the deficiencies cannot be corrected, the member will be advised in writing that he or she is dismissed from the group. This notice shall require the member to return any DART-issued property, including, but not limited to, the membership card, patches, and vehicle placard.

Any escalation required shall be referred to the Coordinator.

HARASSMENT

Harassment of a DART member by a team supervisor, manager, team leader, training officer or peer on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, mental or physical disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, sexual orientation or age will not be tolerated. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of DART membership and participation. Disciplinary action up to and including termination will be instituted for behavior described in the definition of harassment set forth in the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, code Sections 12940(a),(h), and (i).

IDENTIFICATION DISPLAY

No DART member shall inappropriately display a DART identification card, placard, or insignia of any type. Appropriate usage includes events such as team general meetings, training sessions, call outs, and sanctioned activities demanding DART involvement. This policy should not be interpreted as precluding a DART member from displaying identification when the situation legitimately necessitates its display (e.g., assistance at a medical emergency or vehicle accident, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including suspension of termination.

EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP

In order to assure the full availability of all active members in emergency situations, DART disallows any individual's parallel membership in like SAR organizations while maintaining active status in DART. This provision does not apply to membership in emergency service organizations with characteristics distinctly different from DART (e.g., a rescue dog association, a volunteer fire department). The Executive Board may review the status of individuals who hold or wish to hold dual memberships. The Board, with the Operations Commander's concurrence, may grant an  exception to this provision only if the individual can effectively demonstrate the dual membership will not impact primary response to all DART training and emergency activities.

Leaves of Absence
The Executive Board may permit a member to move to Leave of Absence status on the request of the member. Terms and conditions shall be negotiated with the member, including, but not limited to, duration of the leave and whether to return any DART-issued property. Under normal circumstances, the acceptable period for a Leave of Absence is six (6) months. A second consecutive Leave of Absence for six (6) months may be granted by the Executive Board. A member is considered terminated after twelve (12) consecutive months of inactivity.

Reserve Members
The Board of Directors may list individuals as Reserve Members. These personnel possess certain skills (e.g., dive) or resources (e.g., scent dogs) which they may make available to DART on an on-call basis. A reserve member may be required to submit to a fingerprint check and/or background investigation. No other membership requirements will apply.

DUES

Dues are $25 annually. Dues are prorated for new members from the first meeting attended as a candidate. Dues are payable at the beginning of each year and will be considered in arrears if not submitted by the February general meeting. Members who have not paid dues by this meeting or who have not arranged for delayed payment with the Treasurer, shall be suspended from active duty. Active duty status will be reinstated with payment. Checks should be made out to "DART" or "Disaster Aid Response Team"

REQUIRED INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT

1. Complete regulation uniform(s)
2. 24-hour equipment pack (with Personal First Aid Kit)

The required individual equipment is provided at the expense of the DART member, who will ensure his/her equipment is maintained in good usable condition.

UNIFORM

There are two types of uniforms for DART: Class A and Class B. The Class A uniform is suitable for all DART functions and is mandatory when DART is interacting with the public. The Class B uniform is only used during work activities in the field when contact with the public is at a minimum. In addition, a wristwatch and/or wedding band may be worn; any other jewelry or adornments are unacceptable.

Uniform standards for DART are strict; members are expected to abide by these standards.

Standard Uniforms:
1. Class A uniform consists of the tan academy shirt (long or short sleeved), black BDU trousers, and black or brown work boots or equivalent recreational hiking shoes.
2. Class B uniform consists of a dark green jumpsuit and regulation boots or shoes.
3. Appropriate head wear is the dark green baseball cap.
4. Individual skill teams may designate specific uniform requirements with Board approval.
5. Only approved insignia may be worn on the standard uniform.

DART 24-Hour Pack (example):

General
1. Liter water bottled - filled
2. Flashlight with extra batteries and bulb
3. Compass
4. Pencil and paper
5. Toilet paper
6. Matches (in waterproof case)
7. Emergency rescue blanket
8. Survival kit (REI Storm Kit)

Clothing
1. Hiking boots
2. Jacket or parka
3. Wool Cap
4. Socks (extra pair)
5. Uniform (pants/shirt and/or jumpsuit)

Supplemental
1. Safety goggles
2. Leather gloves
3. Pocket knife
4. Whistle
5. Drinking cup (plastic or sierra cup)
6. Food bars
7. Chocolate bars
8. Jerky or other dry meat
9. Salted nuts
10. Drink mix (quart size package)
11. Hardhat/climbing helmet
12. Marking tape (international orange)
13. Personal hygiene kit
14. Sleeping bag
15. Pack
16. Insect repellent

Personal first aid kit
1. Gauze pads (small, 2x2)
2. Gauze rolls (Kerlix)
3. Band-Aids (large, small)
4. Pen and paper
5. Alcohol pads
6. Tape
7. Scissors
8. Aspirin or Tylenol (personal use only)
9. Belt or fanny pack
10. Personal prescription drugs

NOTE: Do not include any item you do not know how to use or are not trained for in the first aid kit.

Other items should be included as determined by season, weather, and terrain.

MEETINGS AND TRAINING

General Meetings:
Meetings of the entire active membership shall be held on the fourth Monday of each month.

Order of business:
1.   Call to Order
2.   Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of Our Country
3.   Roll Call of Members
4.   Reading and Approval of Minutes of the Previous Meeting
5.   Treasurer's Report
6.   Correspondence
7.   Staff Report
8.   Reports of Committees
9.   Unfinished Business
10. New Business
11. Team Breakout Sessions
12. General Membership Training
13. Good of the Order
14. Adjournment

Executive Board Meetings:
The Executive Board shall meet on the second Monday of each month to transact any administrative business necessary for the fulfillment of the mission and the successful operation of DART.

Leadership Council Meetings:
The Leadership Council shall meet on the second Monday of each month following the Executive Board meeting. The Leadership Council will transact operational business as directed by the Board.

Special Meetings:
Special meetings may be called by the Chief of Police, the Support Services Commander, the Coordinator, or the Commander/President  when such meetings are deemed necessary. A notice of such special meeting shall be given by pager ring-down to all members in advance of the meeting.

Skill Team Meetings:
Skill Team meetings may be called by the Team Leader
consistent with maintaining quality skill levels of the team.

MANDATORY GENERAL TRAINING

Each monthly meeting of the general membership shall include training unless specifically foregone by the Executive Board. Annually, three (3) mandatory training drills will be conducted to cover search techniques, equipment usage, and any other skills necessary for effective team operation.

PROCEDURES

Operational Responsibility
The Disaster Aid Response Team will be used for any special operation where the unit may be needed, including, but not limited to the following:

1. Lost or missing persons
2. Logistic support in non-hazardous area for any department emergency (sniper, hostage, etc.)
3. Locating evidence in a major criminal case
4. Area evacuation
5. Any disaster situation

Situation Analysis and Call Out
The Police Watch Commander will make an analysis of the situation for possible DART call out.

Activation
1. DART Coordinator is notified by Watch Commander.
2. If Coordinator is not available, Assistant Coordinator is notified
in the usual manner.
3. If neither Coordinator is available, notification to Commander/President will be made. He/she will work in the same manner as Coordinator.
4. If Commander/President cannot be contacted, an attempt to contact each Executive Officer of the unit in descending order will be made until contact is established. The order is designated in the current DART command roster.

Watch Commander Responsibilities
The Watch Commander will apprise the DART Coordinator or designate of the situation by providing the following information:

1. Type and location of the event
2. Number of people required
3. Special skills or equipment needed
4. Estimated length of time required to complete the operation

DART Coordinator or designate Responsibilities
The DART Coordinator or designate will immediately notify team personnel by standard call out procedures regarding the following:

1. Type and location of incident
2. Number of people required
3. Equipment needed
4. Staging area
5. Anticipated duration of call out.

Operational Supervision
The Watch Commander will assess the situation for DART or patrol
operational control:

1. If DART takes control, watch personnel will be released (e.g., in a lost person search).
2. If patrol retains control, the Watch Commander retains situation responsibility (e.g., in a SWAT operation).
3. Patrol shall retain investigative responsibility for all incidents
for which DART is called out.

Termination of Operation
All DART operations may be discontinued at the discretion of the DART Coordinator or designate.

Reporting
A written report of each operation will by submitted to the DART Coordinator by the designated reporter. Ordinarily this report will be
submitted by the start of the next regularly scheduled work day.

The report shall be a detailed narrative of the operation and
will include:

1. Type and location of the incident
2. Briefing information put out to members
3. Names of DART members responding
4. Date and total time expended
5. Equipment used and any problems
6. Outcome of the operation
7. Debriefing information of members.

The report shall be written on the correct and current form.

AMENDMENTS

This procedural order shall be amended as appropriate to reflect changes to the organization, or to alter the scope of the organization (such as mutual aid agreements). Amendments shall be drafted by the Executive Board with advisement from the general membership as necessary. Amendments shall then be submitted through the Coordinator for approval by the Chief of Police.