International Association of Chiefs of Police

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) was founded in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

in 1893 as the National Chiefs of Police Union. The primary goal of this organization was to apprehend and return criminals who had fled the agency jurisdiction

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...

s in which they were wanted. The organization has expanded over the years with the goals of advancing the science and art of police

Police

The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...

work, promoting improved practices throughout the law enforcement community and foster cooperation and information exchange among police

Police

administrators.

Mission

IACP's stated mission includes to:

Advance the science and art of police services;
Develop and disseminate improved administrative, technical and operational practices and promote their use in police work;
Foster police cooperation and the exchange of information and experience among police administrators throughout the world;
Bring about recruitment and training in the police profession of qualified persons
Encourage adherence of all police officers to high professional standards of performance and conduct.

Activities

The IACP helped to develop and/or promote many tools currently used by law enforcement agencies. These tools include the use of fingerprint

Fingerprint

A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...

s, Uniform Crime Reports

Uniform Crime Reports

The Uniform Crime Reports are published by the United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting Program...

and the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Federal Bureau of Investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...

's National Academy for state and local police.

The United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

granted a Consultative Status

Consultative Status

Consultative Status is a phrase whose use can be traced to the founding of the United Nations and is used within the UN community to refer to "Non-governmental organizations in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council." Also some international organizations could...

to the IACP in the 1970s due to the IACPs work in several UN member nations. Also in the 1970s, the IACP developed a national bomb data center and turned this over to the FBI. See also U.S. Bomb Data Center
U.S. Bomb Data Center
The U.S. Bomb Data Center serves as a nation-wide collection center for information regarding arson and explosives related events throughout the United States...

.

Along with other activities, the IACP publishes Police Chief Magazine.

Psychological Services Section

There is a special section of the International Association of Chiefs of Police called the Psychological Services Section. The Psychological Services Section is composed of recognized specialists in this field, both those employed by larger department and independent consultants. The section has been in operation since 1986 and now consists of over one hundred members, primarily from the United States. The section publishes guidelines for various types of police psychological services.