It is indeed a pleasure and honor to assume the position of president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, representing over 18,000 members in more than 112 countries. Since its founding more than 106 years ago, IACP has established an excellent record of accomplishments, which in turn has enhanced the reputation of law enforcement professionals throughout the world. While over the years we have accomplished many objectives, there still are many challenges and opportunities in front of us.
Leadership is a key element in our future success as individual members of our profession.
The Leadership Initiative undertaken by our board this year will play a critical role in our ability to make the necessary changes to meet the challenges of the future. As such, I will continue our emphasis on the Leadership Initiative. Our success in obtaining a federal grant from the COPS office has allowed us to start developing the basic foundation of the system and initiate pilot testing in the near future. Continuing on with this theme of leadership, this year, IACP will be lending strong support to our Indian Country law enforcement leaders. Tribal law enforcement agencies face a daunting task as they respond to soaring crime rates in Indian Country.