As all law enforcement professionals know, work never slows down. Moreover, few agencies have the time or the staff to write policies, procedures, or forms from scratch.

When I need policy examples, IACPnet is my go-to resource.” —Deputy Chief Kurt Vavra, Glen Ellyn Police Department, Illinois

IACPnet, with the help of other agencies, is here to assist with these necessary tasks, so agencies are not spending precious time or resources reinventing the wheel. IACPnet has thousands of policies, procedures, and forms from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), and other law enforcement agencies. IACPnet allows police policy makers to save time by providing policies that they can build from. IACPnet offers quick access to high-quality data and resources that allow police leaders to maximize their options, empower their staff, and lead their department more efficiently.

“I love IACPnet because it offers a wide variety of topics. There are so many things on the site that I can share with other leaders in my organization. I am thankful to be able to get information on a variety of topics in law enforcement.”—Captain Wendy Luster, Albany Police Department, Georgia

What Is IACPnet? What types of resources and information are available?

IACPnet helps police leaders make informed, data-driven decisions through intuitive online resources. Whether one is researching new initiatives, stretching the budget, or updating policies, IACPnet can help. Home to over 100,000 resources, IACPnet can help policy makers create the documents and plans needed for personnel, operations, equipment, and more. With resources such as policies and forms, funding information, a comprehensive resource library, events and training, statistics, news, federal legislation, discussion boards, periodicals, links, and much more, IACPnet is one-stop shop for all things law enforcement.

Policies and Forms: IACPnet is the ultimate resource for updating a policy manual. Leaders interested in updating or creating new policies can find critical information and related polices on IACPnet. Interested in a form to help drive answers? IACPnet has that as well. IACPnet has more than 25,000 policies, including over 10,000 from CALEA-accredited agencies. Users can easily locate in-use forms from more than 3,000 samples available in standard file formats.

“I have been utilizing IACPnet almost daily for policy writing and revisions to existing policies. It has been an invaluable asset, and I am not sure what I would do without it! I have taken the training as well and found it beneficial to teach me a few tricks that I was not aware of, including [how to use] research folders. I appreciate what you folks do and thank you for the great service.” —Sergeant Vincent Shadd, Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico

Funding: IACPnet’s funding section provides the aid agencies need all in one place, including grant and funding announcements. IACPnet has information on public grants, private sector grants, free and low-cost training opportunities, educational materials, software downloads, equipment, and more.

Resource Library: The resource library has thousands of documents that can help users be more efficient; provide key, often-overlooked information; and help create reports to drive a point home. There are more than 75,000 resources at subscribers’ fingertips, including best practices, award-winning programs, training videos, podcasts, ordinances, revenue-generating ideas, human resources samples, in-depth reports, cost-saving initiatives, industry publications and more.

“For a small town chief, it’s one of my best resources and a must to have.” —Chief Steven Davis, Mountain View Police Department, Colorado

Events and Training: Training is an ongoing need for all agencies and police professionals. Learn about the options and training events available in various locations, and environments, including virtual and in-person opportunities. IACPnet offers many free and low-cost options.

Statistics: Police departments can see how they measure up against other law enforcement agencies through statistical reports on topics such as incentive compensation, educational requirements, personnel assignments, operating budgets, and more.

News: IACPnet helps users to stay current on law enforcement news and announcements from sources around the United States.

Federal Legislation: Law enforcement federal legislation is tracked and updated so police leaders can stay up to date and watch law enforcement–related bills move though the U.S. Congress.

Discussion Boards: The IACPnet Discussion Board provides the capability for users to connect with more than 6,000 other law enforcement professionals on a global scale. Subscribers can post questions to seek and receive feedback from their peers and share their own insight by responding to posts.

Select Site: Select Site is IACPnet’s exclusive search engine, providing fast, accurate searching of thousands of law enforcement websites. These police-related sites are hand-picked, reviewed, and evaluated for relevance to law enforcement. Once they pass IACPnet’s quality standards, sites are cataloged, indexed, and searchable with no unwanted ads or spam.

Periodicals: IACPnet has current and past issues of leading periodicals, including Police Chief, Sheriff & Deputy, AELE Monthly Law Journal, American City & County, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, Forensic Magazine, and Governing.

Links: In IACPnet’s links section, users can find thousands of relevant law enforcement websites and links to agencies related to local and state police departments, county sheriff’s offices, federal agencies, and more.

How do agencies provide information about their policies to IACPnet?

Agencies who share their policies and documents with IACPnet submit new versions of their entire manual each time it is updated. Agencies also submit individual policies as those are updated, too. For new manuals that IACPnet does not yet have on the site, IACPnet staff reach out directly to request documents. Many times, agencies will send their documents electronically in response to a notice on the site requesting materials.

What information is disseminated through the monthly IACPnet newsletter?

Every month, IACPnet sends out an electronic newsletter called IACPnet Alert. The newsletter highlights recently added documents on current prominent issues in law enforcement and provides highlights of new resources such as grants, policies, and other important additions to the Discussion Board and Resource Library. IACPnet Alert also includes announcements about site enhancements, conference exhibitions, customer service, and other timely notices.

How do people join IACPnet?

IACPnet is a professional service offered through the IACP that provides an agency with a subscription allowing users access to the law enforcement research database. The number of sworn personnel within the agency will determine the annual investment and the number of users who are able to access the database. IACPnet subscriptions are available to local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, and law enforcement academic institutions and associations. Agencies can join IACPnet by filling out a service order at join.iacpnet.com. Once an order is received, a team member will reach out to set up the account.

Can someone be a member of IACPnet without belonging to the IACP? Do IACP members have access to IACPnet?

IACP and IACPnet require separate memberships, and a person can be a member of either one or both. IACP memberships are individual, while IACPnet memberships are for the department, with a certain number of user slots. IACP membership does include access to IACPnet; agencies need to purchase a separate subscription (IACP members are eligible for a discounted subscription rate).