What Is The IPA ?

IPA Objectives & History

The International Police Association is one of the most unique and interesting social organizations in the world. This fraternal organization is dedicated to "unite in service and friendship" all active and retired members of the law enforcement service throughout the world. The IPA strives to enhance the image of the Police in its member countries, and to facilitate international cooperation through friendly contacts between police officers from all continents. The Esperanto¹ motto of the Association is Servo Per Amikeco, which means "Service Through Friendship".

While professional police organizations abound, the International Police Association values the social advantages of exchanging professional experiences to better the service and uniquely adopts friendship as its up-front purpose. The Association is a private organization, which is not officially sponsored nor controlled. The IPA is not connected with, or influenced by, any union, law enforcement, or governmental agency, or by any outside interests. The Association by-laws expressly forbid any participation in politics, unionism, or departmental matters.

The IPA is a non-profit, worldwide fraternal organization based strictly on idealism and friendship whose membership consists solely of active and retired law enforcement personnel. Its uniqueness and solidarity is amply demonstrated by creating a harmonious atmosphere of unity and camaraderie among all of its members, regardless of rank. The duties and work of the Association is carried out by its officers, working in their off duty time, without remuneration.

A primary emphasis of the organization is global and cultural friendship among law enforcement officers. These are cultivated through a variety of visits, trips, cultural exchanges, and contacts. There are also annual national and international conventions. Other objectives of the organization include:

• The encouragement, stimulation, and examination of public service and the maintenance of law and order. Such activity is encouraged through various social, cultural, and allied activities. 

• To arrange a variety of exchange, rest, and recreational programs, communication, friendships, and study group visits.  

• To establish an educational program to meet the needs of the members through study outlines in approved law enforcement subjects. 

Membership now covers most countries of the free world and presently includes approximately 312,500 officers in 58 nations, of all ranks from Officers to Chiefs and Commissioners of Police. Membership in the U. S. Section is open to any qualified active or retired law enforcement officer from a recognized federal, state, or local agency, meeting the requirement criteria as established by the United States Section Bylaws. Membership is obtainable by all qualified individuals regardless of rank, gender, ethnicity, nationality, or creed.

A Little Background:

The International Police Association was formed in England in January 1950, and began with the dream of one man when Arthur Troop, a police sergeant from Lincolnshire, England, sought to create a channel for friendship and international cooperation among police officers. His notion of an Association with a development of social, cultural, and professional links among its members, in an environment free from discrimination of rank, sex, race, color, language, or religion, became a reality, to promote friendship among Police Officers (Nationally and Internationally) on a proper organized basis.

The United States Section was formed on February 26, 1962 during a meeting in Toledo, Ohio, when Region 1 - Buffalo, New York was formed with 30 members. The United States Section was officially recognized in Geneva Switzerland at the International Executive Committee in June 1962. The United States Section presently contains 62 Regions totaling approximately 9,000 members. Some metropolitan areas and states may have multiple regions due to the vast number of members located there. Other states may not have their own region, but are combined with other states to form a region. With approximately 600,000 working officers in the United States, there exists a possible potential for a membership of nearly 750,000 active and retired members in the U.S. Section alone. This could eventually mean many more local regions.

Local Regions often sponsor many social activities, lunch and dinner meetings, guest speakers, picnics, barbecues, trips, dances, and hosting of law enforcement guests from throughout the world. There are endless possibilities at local, chapter, and regional levels.

Endless Opportunities for Travel, Adventure, and Fun:

The IPA creates an opportunity for cultural exchange and contacts on a local, national, and international level. The IPA is a tremendous organization for members and their families who wish to travel in any part of the USA or the world. Even if you are not a traveler, you will have opportunities to meet and socialize with visiting officers from around the world.

Traveling members are often extended various courtesies, offered assistance and given tours that would not normally be available. If you are a traveler seeking fun and excitement in unknown places, you will be pleased to know there will most likely be a law enforcement officer/IPA member there to meet you. The IPA offers something a travel agency cannot, as "Nobody knows the city or town like the Police Officer who lives and works there".

The Association owns and maintains many IPA houses and homes throughout the world where accommodations are very reasonable. Travelers find police officers around the world have much in common, and love to share their thoughts and experiences with fellow officers. Travel contacts throughout the world are a visible part of the IPA.

Members are also encouraged to host visitors in their homes, and to act as tour guides to visitors. While this is not a requisite for membership, such interaction provides one of the greatest benefits of membership in the association.

Another additional benefit offered includes organized youth gatherings and exchange programs. An International Children's Exchange Program may give your child or children the opportunity to spend some time in a foreign country in exchange for your hosting an exchange child for an equal amount of time. Our families are an integral part of this association. You have the satisfaction of knowing that another police officer and his family is looking after your children while they are experiencing the culture or language of another land.

Meet people just like yourself:

You can make contact with others who share your hobby interests. Collectors of law enforcement insignia, patches, uniforms, hats, vehicles, etc., join with many other types of collectors and hobbyists, sharing their special interests through many links made throughout the world. Members are able to contact other members with similar interests through the IPA newsletters and a hobby bureau designed for this purpose, and administered by a committee. There are also IPA Ham Radio enthusiasts, Internet e-mail, and pen pal contacts for the asking.

Every effort is made to put members who desire to do so, in contact with members of the police profession in IPA member countries. This might include participating in an exchange vacation program, either individually or as a member of an IPA group. In many cases the exchange may give you the opportunity to stay in the home of a police officer in the country selected, and during visits abroad, members will often have the opportunity of studying methods of policing in other countries, thus members are able to engage in professional police relations throughout the world.

More Good Stuff:

New members receive a uniquely distinctive lapel membership pin, and a blue linen IPA passport, in which they affix a passport type photo. A current dues stamp is issued each year upon receipt of a member's annual dues. The stamp may then be affixed in the blue linen IPA passport. This IPA passport credential is recognized world wide as official membership identification. If kept with ones U.S.A. passport, it usually earns a friendly smile when traveling, and sometimes much more.

Members are entitled to wear the badge of the Association. They are automatically placed in the Region governing the area in which they serve (they have the option of joining the region in which they reside). They have full voting rights at regional meetings together with the right to speak and vote at Annual Open Meetings. Members are also enrolled to receive the IPA National Newsletters, Regional Newsletter, and RemNet [regional e-mail network] bulletins. These items help to keep members updated on Worldwide, Regional and National events and contacts.

¹ Esperanto. What is it? A language created to facilitate communication amongst people from different countries. In practical use for more than a hundred years, Esperanto has proved to be a genuinely living language, capable of expressing all facets of human thought. International and neutral Esperanto does not belong to any specific country or people. It belongs equally to everybody who speaks it, acting as a bridge between cultures. http://www.esperanto.net/info/baza_en.html