The most widely recognized and respected organization of independent security consultants since 1984.
About the IAPSC Membership
Benefits
Become Part of the Largest Network of Security Consultants
IAPSC members are the most qualified, reputable, and respected group of security consultants in the world. The organization’s high standards and rigid, selective process are recognized throughout the business community and security industry.
Referrals, Referrals, Referrals
Actively involved IAPSC members often receive new business referrals from other members and participate in “teaming” for new business development.
Partnerships Help You Serve Your Clients
When faced with opportunity to serve a new or existing client that requires expertise in an area outside the member’s specialty, IAPSC security consultants often partner with other members or refer the assignment.
Website Visibility
The IAPSC website is often the source potential clients use to find a consultant. All IAPSC members are listed in the IAPSC’s website directory as security consultants and experts, so your name is available to potential clients searching for a qualified security professional.
Annual Conference
This national event offers networking opportunities and educational programs specially tailored for professional security consultants.
**During your first year of membership, you receive half off conference registration!
Best Practices
IAPSC members are in a unique position to help develop and implement industry best practices.
Speaker’s Bureau
Media contacts and speaking engagements are available to all Association members.
Research and Standards
Current IAPSC members have access to the most updated research abstracts on crime prevention methods, as well as an extensive list of national security standards.
Professional Affiliations
Members gain access to the Association of Security Consultants, a British-based international group, and the Security Executive Council, a research and services organization offering solutions to security management problems.
To become a member, click here.
Classifications
You can apply for IAPSC membership in one of three categories:
Active Member
A person who is a practicing security consultant. This is a consultant whose primary earned income for a period at least one year (immediately preceding the submission of the application) has been derived from providing security advice, information, and recommendations to clients. Members must meet all the requirements for membership as defined here. Active members may vote and serve on the Board of Directors and as an Association Officer.
Associate Member
A person who meets all the criteria for membership except that he or she has less than two year’s experience or does not derive primarily earned income from providing security advice, information, and recommendations to clients. Associate members may vote and serve on the Board of Directors, but may not be an Association Officer.
Internal Consultant Member
A person in a security management position employed by an organization that does not market security services. The Internal Consultant member should be that organization’s Security Director, executive or otherwise in a management position where he or she regularly provides security advice and recommendations to his or her organization. Internal Consultant members may become Officers of the Association, vote and serve on its Board of Directors and Standing or Special Committees.
All members must also meet the qualifications for membership as defined below.
Annual Dues
- $445 per year
- The membership year runs from January 1 through December 31 each year.
- Annual Dues may be pro-rated for the first year of membership, depending on the date of application acceptance.
Application Fee
- A one-time, non-refundable processing fee of $250 applies to new applicants.
Qualifications
IAPSC membership is open to full and part-time security consultants who meet the following qualifications:
Education
Applicants must have at least one of the following:
-
- A baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited college or university
- Eight years of direct, broad security experience
- One of the following certifications:
- Certified Protection Professional
- Physical Security Professional
- Certified Security Consultant
- Certified Information Security Systems Professionals
- Other certifications (accepted at the discretion of the Membership
Committee)
Experience
Applicants must have at least five years of broad security experience in paid positions¹, demonstrating increasing responsibilites² with at least three years of management³ for higher levels. Time submitted in fulfillment of this requirement may not be used to substitute for the educational requirement above. In no case will the five-year security experience requirement be waived.
Consideration will also be given to the following cases:
- An otherwise-qualified Security Consultant, who in some rare instance, has no prior qualifying experience, but who has fulfilled the criteria of an independent Security Consultant, as defined elsewhere in the By-Laws, for five or more years prior to date of application.
- In the event an applicant was hired directly into a top security management position of an enterprise or institution, and served at least five years as such, the requirement of this section is considered fulfilled without the necessity of demonstrating increasing responsibilities.
- Those practitioners/applicants whose sole expertise has been in the development of specialized technological aspects of architectural or engineering security design, access control, or specialized electronic or computer security application, not necessarily in management positions, but who otherwise meet the five-year criteria.
Practice Requirements
The following practice requirements also apply to Active and Associate members. They do not apply to Internal Consultant members as long as such services are used internally and not offered for a fee to others outside the members organization:
Shall be individuals, not companies or firms, who engage fully in the activity of management consulting, specializing in:
- Security management
- Loss prevention or security training
- Information security
- Security equipment system technical design
- Evaluation, specification and integration
- Forensic consulting
May not be known or advertised as an investigator, except for the purposes of developing information to complete their surveys, design or testimony¹.
May not engage in any of the following activities:
- Sale or installation of any security equipment, including alarms systems,
access controls, access controls, closed circuit television systems,
contract guards, or strike forces - Surveillance
- Skip tracing
- Repossession of property
- Standalone civil or criminal record checks or other background checks
- Providing undercover or bodyguard personnel
- Detection of deception, including polygraph services, paper and pencil
honesty testing, voice stress analysis, handwriting or grapho-analysis, or
any other means - Have any form of affiliation with a product or service that could be
construed as a conflict of interest Be an employee of, be employed by a
subsidiary of, hold a direct financial or controlling interest in, or
participate in the management of a business entity that manufactures,
distributes, sells, installs, maintains, or in any way provides services or
products whose activities are prohibited by the IAPSC By-Laws. Members shall
be permitted to provide marketing, design or product analysis consulting
services to such entities for fee compensation, provided that Members
disclose all activity as described in Section A2 (L) of the By-Laws.
May not have been convicted of any felony or any crime involving moral turpitude, or engaged in any act which constitutes moral turpitude.
Must comply with the IAPSC Code of Ethics.
May sell books, manuals, computer programs, programs, videotapes, or similar training materials that they have authored or investigations that they have designed.
Any traditional investigative work must be contracted out to private investigators or similar practitioners. It is understood that certain fields may require a greater level of investigation and require specialized knowledge/experience outside the scope of a routine private investigator.
A complete outline of Member Requirements can be found in the IAPSC By-Laws.
¹ Nothing herein prohibits any member from complying with any law or regulation, by any governmental or regulatory body, which requires that consultants be licensed as Investigators or any other related license.