The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is truly a remarkable organization. For the past 119 years, the IACP has blazed a trail for professional law enforcement leaders around the globe. It has aided thousands of law enforcement executives throughout their careers and has helped to define the policing profession as well as to shape it into what it is today.

However, as the IACP begins its 120th year, it is clear that our association—and our profession—is at a critical juncture in its history. Policing in the 21st century presents challenges that were simply unimaginable just a short time ago. Agencies are being asked to provide levels of service that are simply unsustainable in our current economic climate. This does not appear to be a temporary situation but rather the “new normal.”