GUARDIANS CHARTER
 

BE IT KNOWN...

 That we, the Guardians, have banded together to protect and safeguard the planet Earth, its inhabitants and resources, from any and all threats, terrestrial or otherwise, which are or might prove to be beyond the power of conventional forces to handle.

 That we shall brook no interference in the growth of mankind in meeting its rightful destiny.

 That we dedicate ourselves to the establishment, growth, and preservation of peace, liberty, equality, and justice under law.

THIS IS OUR SOLEMN OATH.

Article One: Organization

The Guardians is hereby chartered as a non-profit organization under the laws as set down by the State of New York, United States of America; said organization being recognized and fully sanctioned as a peace-keeping force by the National Security Council of the United States of America, the Central Authority on Praternormal Endeavors (CAPE), and by the United Nations.

 Article Two: Jurisdiction

In accordance with the tenets of national and international law, the Guardians, acting individually, or as a group, are herein authorized to function in all lands, territories, or protectorates of the United States; in all countries allied with the United States by international treaty; and in all countries belonging to or affiliated with the United Nations.

 Article Three: Funding

 As a non-profit organization, the Guardians shall be funded chiefly by private grants. Major funding for the activities of the Guardians, for its headquarters, transportation, and equipment, shall be provided by a grant from the Covington Foundation (Daniel Covington, Director) with the understanding that the Foundation shall have no say in Guardians operations, or in the deployment of funds within the Guardians organization.

 Article Four: Operations

 The day-to-day operations of the Guardians shall be governed by a set of by-laws as put forth by the founding members.

 IN WITNESS of this charter, we founding members have hereunto subscribed our names...

Paladin

Jack Frost

Huntress

Unknown Soldier

Dynamo

Powerhouse

GUARDIANS BY-LAWS

Section One: Policy & operations

A.        All Guardians shall, at all times, endeavor to adhere to the principles of the Guardians Charter and follow the rules and regulations of these by-laws.

I .         The by-laws may be amended, when deemed necessary, by the active members of the Guardians. Amendments may be proposed by any active Guardian. Amendments shall become a binding part of these by-laws upon approval by two-thirds of the active membership.

B.        All Guardians shall be required to surrender knowledge of his or her civilian identity to the Central Authority on Praternormal Endeavors.

C.        Guardians shall be entitled to special priority government security clearance, as administered and approved by the Central Authority on Praternormal Endeavors.

D.        The Guardians shall be led by a duly elected Chairman or Chairwoman. It shall be the duty of this leader to coordinate all Guardian activities, whether business or tactical in nature.

1 .        The position of Chairman/woman shall be open to any active member who has passed his/her probationary period (See Section Two, Memberships).

2.         The Chairman/woman shall serve for a term of 6 months. There shall be no limit to the number of successive terms a leader may serve.

3.         It shall be the privilege of the Chairman/woman to determine the format of meetings and to call special meetings as he/she sees fit.

4.         In the event of the absence, incapacity, or resignation of the Chairman/woman, an interim leader shall be chosen by a two-thirds vote of the active membership.

Section Two: Membership

A.        Recognizing that the membership of the Guardians may be subject to, and, indeed, might profit from change, procedures for the admission of members shall be set forth.

 B.       Candidates for membership must be legal adults, possessing at least one skill, power, ability, or talent which is deemed valuable by majority of the active membership.

1.         Membership shall not be denied on account of race, color, creed, sex, or condition of birth or origin.

2.         Candidates for membership must be nominated by one active member in good standing at a regular or special meeting. Election for membership must be held within one week of nomination and be attended by a simple majority of active members. A two-thirds vote is necessary for election to membership.

3.         Newly elected Guardians shall save a probationary period of not less than 30 days.

a.         During the period of probation, the Central Authority on Praternormal Endeavors shall make an investigation of the new Guardian's personal and public record in order to determine approval for full security clearance.

b.         While on probation, the new Guardian shall have limited access to Guardians facilities and records.

c.                At the end of probation, the new Guardian shall assume full active status, unless objections are raised by any active member or by the Central Authority on Praternormal Endeavors.

C.        The Guardians shall select new members whenever the Chairman/woman or two-thirds of the active membership determines that the ranks are not at optimal strength, or when there is a vacancy in the ranks.

1.         It shall be the prerogative of the Chairman/woman to limit the number of active members.

D.        Active Guardians shall be the designation given to those Guardians who are full-time members.

1.         Active Guardians shall be required to log all individual cases into the main computer file, that the entire membership may benefit from the individual's experience.

2.         Active Guardians shall be required to attend all regular business meetings. Members who miss more than one meeting per month without submitting an acceptable excuse may face suspension for a period to be determined by a consensus of the other active members (see Paragraph G).

3.         Active Guardians shall be issued an Guardians identification card and an emergency signal device.

a.         Active members shall be required to answer all emergency calls. If unable to respond, an active member must contact the Chairman/woman at the earliest opportunity to explain his/her absence.

b.         Active members who miss an emergency call without good reason may be subject to disciplinary action.

4.         Active Guardians shall be expected to cooperate with other law enforcement agencies. Although granted certain legal immunities by the Guardians priority clearance, no Guardian shall be considered above the law.

5.         Active Guardians shall be paid a stipend of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per week. Members may choose not to accept their stipends, in which case the money shall be placed in their retirement fund.

a.         Active members shall be entitled to free medical and life insurance benefits.

b.         Active members shall be provided with private quarters where they, it so choosing, may reside. Unlimited meal privileges shall be provided for live-in members.

6.         Active Guardians shall be granted unlimited access to the Guardians headquarters, vehicles, computer records files, and any other facilities of the organization.

7.         Active Guardians may take a leave of absence for any reason simply by notifying the Chairman/woman of said intent.

a.         Active Guardians may choose to accept status as either a reservist or an inactive Guardian.

8.         Active Guardians shall, at all times, act in a manner befitting that of a guardian of the public trust.

E.         Reserve Guardians shall be the designation given to those Guardians who are parttime members, on call for special missions or emergency assignments only.

1.         Reserve membership shall be limited to those members who have fulfilled an active term of duty of not less than one year, and who wish to reduce their connections with the group.

2.         Reserve Guardians shall not be required to log their individual cases, though they shall be encouraged to do so.

3.         Reserve Guardians may attend any regular meeting, but shall be required to attend no more than one per year.

4.         Reserve Guardians shall retain their Guardians identification card and emergency signal device.

a.         Reserve members may be demoted to inactive status if they fail to answer three consecutive emergency calls.

5.         Reserve Guardians shall be paid a stipend of one hundred dollars ($100) per month.

6.         Reserve Guardians shall have limited access to Guardians Mansion, files, equipment, etc.

7.         Reserve Guardians may return to active status at the discretion of the Chairman/woman, if they so petition and are accepted by majority vote of the active members.

8.         Reserve Guardians shall be given priority over new candidates in the filling of vacancies in the active membership.

9.         Reserve Guardians may retire to inactive status by notifying the Chairman/woman and surrendering the Guardians identification card and emergency signal device.

10. Reserve Guardians shall not have a vote in Guardians proceedings.

11.       Reserve Guardians shall have the authority to call emergency meetings.

F.         Inactive Guardians shall be the designation given to those members who have retired or resigned from active and reserve duty.

1 .        Any Guardian may resign by simply notifying the Chairman/woman of his/her intent and surrendering his/her Guardians identification card, emergency signal device, and any other Guardians-owned equipment.

2.         Any active or reserve Guardian who is incapacitated or who moves from the organization's normal jurisdiction shall be granted an honorable discharge and placed on the inactive roster.

3.         Inactive Guardians may be granted limited access to Guardians equipment and facilities only at the discretion of the active members.

4.         Inactive status shall be considered the same as an indefinite leave of absence.

5.         Inactive Guardians may be reinstated only if there is a vacancy in the active ranks, and then only if elected by a two-thirds vote of the active membership.

G.        Motions for disciplinary action against any active or reserve Guardian may be brought by any other active Guardian.

1 .        In the event of such an accusation, Chairman/woman shall convene a board of inquiry, comprising a simple majority of the active membership (minus the accused, if he/she is an active member).

2.         Disciplinary action shall be limited to suspension, with the option of further trying the accused before a tribunal of all active members.

a.         Tribunal proceedings shall be conducted in the manner of a military court-martial.

b.         Maximum punishment to be brought on the accused by such a tribunal shall be expulsion from the Guardians.

c.         A two-thirds vote shall be necessary to expel a member from the Guardians.

3.         Active and reserve Guardians can be expelled, with no possibility of reinstatement, on the following grounds:

a.         Conviction for any crime above a misdemeanor.

b.         Deliberate betrayal of Guardians classified information.

c.         Criminal acts of negligence not convicted for, but witnessed by at least one active member.

Section Three: Meetings

 A.       The Guardians shall meet regularly, at least once a week, at a time and place to be agreed upon by a simple majority of the active membership.

 B.       Emergency meetings may be called at any time, but emergency meetings shall not be considered a replacement for a regular meeting.

 C.       In the event that an Guardians mission is in progress at the time of a regularly-scheduled meeting, the meeting will be rescheduled.

 D.       A simple majority of the active membership shall be required to make a meeting official.

Section Four: Punishment of Criminals

 A.       Guardians shall leave the punishment of perpetrators of criminal activity to the appropriate agencies of the law.

B.             The Guardians shall not abridge an accused's right to a fair and speedy trial.

C.        The Guardians shall abide by the decisions of the law, and will not take upon themselves any aspect of the punishment process.

D.        In the event that conventional imprisonment proves inadequate for a given criminal, the Guardians shall be allowed to hold said criminal in a manner they see fit, provided that a full report of said methods of imprisonment is given to the proper law enforcement authorities.

 Section Five: Affiliations

 The Guardians shall maintain open and reciprocal relations, including joint limited access to computer data, with the  Freedom Force and the Central Authority on Praternormal Endeavors

 Section Six: Security

 The Central Authority on Praternormal Endeavors shall serve as liaison between the Guardians and the government of the United States. CAPE shall have the power to revoke the Guardians security clearance, individually or collectively. CAPE shall supervise the installation of all security devices and data centers and shall hold periodic inspections of said facilities.

 Section Seven:   Discorporation

 The Guardians organization may be disbanded only by order of the Central Authority on Praternormal Endeavors for a breach of national security, or by unanimous vote of the entire active membership of the Guardians. In the event of disbanding, all Guardians properties and facilities shall revert to the Covington Foundation and/or Covington International, with the exception of any security devices, analysis systems, or data which has any bearing on national security. Said materials and data shall be immediately turned over to the government of the United States.