As I have traveled the world on behalf of IACP this year, I have seen how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of policing on a global scale. Many chiefs have retired, and the new or remaining leaders have not met in person for over two years! Online meetings, while valuable, are not as effective in helping to build meaningful professional relationships or collaborations. So much gets done during the breaks at in-person meetings. This does not happen during a Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Google Meet, or Ring Central meeting.

I have seen the effects of these changes in Cambodia, Colombia, Canada, and even at a recent academy graduation in my region of Colorado! In an effort to help reduce this isolation and lack of connectivity, the IACP Board of Directors approved a new graduated dues structure to encourage policing leaders around the world to join the association. The products and resources of the IACP need to be available to all police agencies so they can provide the best possible service to their communities, which will help build trust in the police.

Globally, I have heard stories of reduced trust in the government and policing; as a profession we need to address this with an openness to change and added professionalism. The IACP is poised and ready to tackle this problem and opportunity.

With improved translation functionality on the IACP and Police Chief websites, our resources have never been more accessible to police leaders and personnel worldwide. The board and I are committed to helping the policing profession to move forward in this post-pandemic world, where trust in governments has been shaken under the weight of pandemic restrictions and anti-police rhetoric. We are committed to providing resources and training to all peace officers, regardless of rank, agency size, or location, and that is why I am proud to announce the IACP’s revised tiered dues structure based upon the World Bank’s country economic groupings.

We are committed to providing resources and training to all peace officers.

This revised structure was a key objective in the IACP’s strategic plan, in order for the IACP to continue to be a leading source of policy development and innovative policing practices on a global scale. This has also been a robust discussion with the IACP board for many years, as we continually seek to improve the equity of all IACP members. The tiered membership structure is a thoughtful and strategic way to offer international membership rates to allow those from lower-income economies to have more affordable access to the benefits and resources provided by the IACP.

What does this mean for you? Everyone around the world will continue to have access to the invaluable benefits and resources you have come to expect from the IACP. The one change will be that members from Tier I countries will continue to receive Police Chief magazine in the mail, while members from Tiers II, III, and IV countries will receive access to the translatable digital version.

The new fee structure will be in effect on January 1, 2023; however, international members joining or renewing beginning in October 2022 could benefit from the new tiered dues structure.

In addition to creating the new tiered dues structure, the IACP has taken other steps during the past year to expand our global presence and increase our connections with members and organizations around the world. These efforts include participation in the World Police Summit; a roundtable on cultural transformation in Ireland; exchange programs with law enforcement from the United Arab Emirates; training programs in Nigeria and the Dominican Republic; and assessments in Colombia and Canada. IACP has forged partnerships with many global agencies, including memoranda of understanding with INTERPOL, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, and ROADPOL. Additionally, IACP’s work to improve traffic safety efforts in low- and middle-income countries through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety continues, and in 2021, we established our first Asia-Pacific World Regional Office in Seoul, South Korea.

Building upon the mission of advancing the policing profession through expanded advocacy, research, outreach, and education, the IACP continues to shape the future of the policing profession. Through collaborations, programming, unparalleled training opportunities, and the exchange of information, the IACP is preparing current and emerging police leaders—and the agencies and communities they serve—to succeed in addressing the most pressing issues, threats, and challenges on a global scale. d

Please cite as

Dwight E. Henninger, “Customized Membership for Global Policing,” President’s Message,  Police Chief 89, no. 9 (September 2022): 6–7.