International Association of Airport and Seaport Police

International Association of Airport and Seaport Police
Name	International Association of Airport and Seaport Police
Abbreviation	IAASP
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Not specified
Region served	International
Membership	Law enforcement agencies, port police, airport police
Leader title	President

Contents

History

The association traces its formation to efforts by practitioners from Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Los Angeles Police Department, Metropolitan Police Service (London), Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Australian Federal Police and other agencies that responded to evolving threats at O'Hare International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Pearson Airport and coastal facilities. Early cooperative meetings referenced incidents such as concerns following Hijacking of TWA Flight 847, the aftermath of Achille Lauro hijacking, the security shifts triggered by September 11 attacks, and maritime crises like the Costa Concordia disaster. Over time the association expanded its remit to incorporate practices developed after operations by Joint Terrorism Task Force, Operation Neptune Spear, and multinational drills led by NATO Allied Maritime Command and Joint Interagency Task Force South.

Membership includes delegations from agencies such as New York City Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Metropolitan Police Service (London), Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Sûreté du Québec, California Highway Patrol, Port of Seattle Police Department, Massachusetts Port Authority Police, Los Angeles World Airports Police, Netherlands Marechaussee, Japan Coast Guard, Singapore Police Force, Hong Kong Police Force, Royal Malaysia Police and municipal harbor forces. Institutional members range from municipal police to national agencies including U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transport Canada, Australian Department of Home Affairs and port authorities like Port of Rotterdam Authority and Hamburg Port Authority. Organizational structure typically mirrors federated models seen in International Association of Chiefs of Police and Interpol, featuring executive boards, regional chapters, standing committees, and working groups focused on aviation security, maritime security, and critical infrastructure protection. Roles within the association include elected officers such as president, vice-president and treasurer, alongside appointed chairs for committees modeled after governance frameworks used by International Civil Aviation Organization advisory panels.

The association acts as a forum for policy coordination among stakeholders including Transportation Security Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, National Police Chiefs' Council (UK), European Maritime Safety Agency and private operators such as British Airways, Emirates, Delta Air Lines, Maersk Line, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean International. Activities include promoting interoperable communication protocols used in exercises like those run by United States Northern Command, supporting joint responses to incidents akin to the Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, and facilitating coordination for large-scale events studied alongside planners from FIFA World Cup, Olympic Games, G7 Summit and COP conferences. The association disseminates threat assessments, best practices for perimeter security, shore leave protocols, and guidance that references standards from International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, National Incident Management System and aviation safety circulars issued by Federal Aviation Administration.

Educational programs offered or promoted by the association draw on curricula from institutions such as Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, National Center for Counterterrorism, Police Staff College (UK), Australian Institute of Police Management and academic partners including Harvard Kennedy School, Johns Hopkins University and King's College London. Training topics span integrated port security operations, aviation security screening techniques, crisis negotiation, maritime interdiction tactics, and legal frameworks referencing statutes like Patriot Act and international agreements overseen by International Maritime Organization. Professional development includes accreditation schemes similar to those from International Association of Chiefs of Police, exchange fellowships with Interpol, and tabletop exercises coordinated with Joint Terrorism Task Force and regional disaster response agencies.

The association convenes conferences attended by representatives from FBI, TSA, CBP, Interpol, Europol, ICAO, IMO, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Port of Los Angeles, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and major carriers such as British Airways and Emirates. Proceedings address topics previously debated at forums like International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly and International Maritime Organization Council. Publications encompass newsletters, operational bulletins, policy white papers, and training manuals informed by research from RAND Corporation, Brookings Institution, Chatham House, International Institute for Strategic Studies and academic journals including Journal of Transportation Security and Maritime Policy & Management.

Governance models parallel those of International Association of Chiefs of Police and Police Executive Research Forum, with executive committees, audit processes, and ethics policies referencing best practices promulgated by Transparency International and standards bodies such as International Organization for Standardization. Funding streams typically include membership dues, conference fees, government grants from agencies like U.S. Department of Homeland Security, sponsorship from industry stakeholders including Boeing, Airbus, ABB, Siemens, Honeywell, and training contracts with entities such as Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers and private security firms. Financial oversight may be subject to audits influenced by regulatory frameworks from national treasuries and port authority boards such as Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners.

Category:Law enforcement associations