Who can join the International Police Association?

Membership is open to a broad spectrum of police personnel. Any serving or retired member of Police Staff directly employed by a Chief Constable or other appropriately designated Chief Officer of the Police Services.

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You can read the full rulings regarding membership below.

Why Are You Missing Out?

On receipt of a fully completed application form the enrolment process is completed. An annual membership card is issued giving the holder full IPA membership entitlement.

Are there any conditions?

Those who have previous IPA membership should contact mail@ipa-uk.org or ring 0115 981 3638 with their inquiry before completing an application form.

Membership runs from January to December, so the joining fee is tapered as follows:

January to March = £40
April to June = £30
July to September = £20
October to December £40*

* Any member joining the IPA from 1st October will be entitled to up to 15 months membership for the price of 12 and their annual renewal won’t be payable until January the year after next.

Join for just £20 anytime with 2 Together

If you join the IPA with a colleague or friend at any time of year the cost for each of you is just £20. So you can take advantage of the lowest possible enrolment fee throughout the year. Remember to enter the name of the person you’re joining with when you complete the online or paper application form. It helps us to manage your enrolment and to ensure that you’re only charged £20 if you and the person you’re joining with submit your application forms the same day.

Renewal fees of £32 will be collected on or around 4th January 2024.

*Police World is made available via a web-link which will be emailed at the time of going to press. 

You will be able to avail of a refund for Gimborn fees having paid the enrolment fee. 

Under the current climate we are working from home and processing of membership will take longer than usual. We will endeavour to process your applications as quickly as the situation allows. Thank you for your patience.

FAQs

What if I used to work for the police service and now want to join? In the case of any person who resigned voluntarily and who can produce written proof that they previously served in any of the police services shown in Appendix B for 3 years or more may apply to be a member. This rule will apply retrospectively. The reckoning of service will be cumulative and allow for breaks in service.

I'm interested in joining the International Police Association but there is no Section of the IPA in my country of residence. Can I join the Section UK? Section UK adopts the policy that membership is best taken out in a country closest to your place of residence, eg Nigerian officers would join a Section already established in the African continent. To this end, professional opportunities for development are likely to be closer to home, more applicable and more affordable. Please check the international website for details of where established Sections exist. Any further inquiries regarding Foreign Associate Membership of Section UK should be sent to the IPA HQ -Section UK using the contact form (not the application form). Please do not send any payment until your application has been authorised. We regret, the safe receipt and return of cash cannot be guaranteed.

Can I pay my membership by cheque instead of Direct Debit? We do not accept cheques as payment and can only approve membership if Direct Debit details are provided.

Following the death of my spouse, am I eligible to carry on their membership? Extraordinary Membership may be granted to the spouse of a deceased member having been proposed by their Branch for endorsement by the Regional Executive and notified to the Secretary General. Please apply through your branch rather than using the on-line application form.

Do IPA mailings have any indentifiable Police markings? All correspondence from IPA HQ - Section UK are sent in a plain franked envelope and Police World magazine is sent under plain cover.

I am permanently moving overseas, can I still be a member? Unfortunately, the international rules prohibit someone being a member of more than one IPA section. However, you can choose to retain your membership of Section UK if you move overseas.

I don't want to pay an annual membership fee, do you offer life membership instead? We do offer life membership to members who have been with the Association for at least five consecutive years. Life membership is set at 15 times the current renewal fee and can be paid by cheque.

Why doesn’t the IPA issue hard plastic membership cards? Section UK issues plastic coated membership cards to all members annually. Generally speaking it isn’t necessary to produce your card to take advantage of the benefits your IPA membership has to offer. So, in common with many other national sections we choose to use plastic coated cards as they are reasonably durable and only have to last a year. Using plastic coated cards allows us to keep costs down and direct a greater proportion of dues back to our members.' From January 2023, we have started Digital Membership Cards, sending them to any member who has an Email address.

How do I cancel my membership and can I claim any refund on my subscription? Members wishing to cancel their membership can do so by e-mail: mail@ipa-uk.org or by telephone: 0115 981 3638 by 31 December 2023. Rule 60 states. ’No subscription shall be refunded’.

Membership Rulings: Ordinary Membership of Section UK of the International Police Association is open to the following:

Ordinary membership shall be open to:

  1. Any serving or retired member of Police Staff or National Crime Agency Staff, of the Police Agencies shown in Appendix ‘B’
  2. Any former member of Police Staff or National Crime Agency Civil Staff, who due to internal contractual changes have had their role outsourced and are no longer employed directly by a Police Agency listed in Appendix ‘B’
  3. Any serving or retired Police Service Volunteer aged 18 years or over who has completed 3 years or more service.
  4. Any serving or retired warranted officer of Border Force
  5. Any serving or retired members of Non-Home Office Forces as shown in Appendix ‘B’ Part One and Part Two, including BTP, MOD Police, Royal Military Police, RAF Police, Royal Navy Police, Ports Police and Cathedral Constabularies.

(NB: Rules 11.1, 11.2 and 11.3 below should be followed when a member of Police or National Crime Agency Staff voluntarily resigns);

Rules 11.1; 11.2 and 11.3 read as folllows:

11.1: In the case of a member who has resigned voluntarily from any of the Police Agencies shown at Appendix ‘B’ with less than three years’ service, and where an application for continued membership is made through their Branch and Regional Secretaries, the circumstances of the voluntary resignation shall be examined by the National Executive Committee (NEC). Any decision to refuse continued membership by the National Executive Committee (NEC) can be subject to appeal, as laid down in Appendix ‘C’.

11.2: In the case of a member who has resigned voluntarily from any of the Police Agencies shown at Appendix ‘B’ with three years or more service, membership may continue.

11.3: In the case of any person who resigned voluntarily and who can produce written proof that they previously served in any of the Police Agencies shown at Appendix ‘B’ for three years or more, may apply to become a member. This rule will apply retrospectively, and the reckoning of service will be cumulative and allow for breaks in service.