ASIS International, the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) have announced the formation of the Annual International Public Law Enforcement/Private Security Partnership Day.

According to the organizations, the Public-Private Partnership Day is a long-term collaborative effort between all three and was approved by all their boards of directors.

It will occur on the fourth Thursday of April every year, with the inaugural Public-Private Partnership Day occurring on Thursday 25 April 2024.

Law enforcement and private security together

The organizations highlight that the mission of Public-Private Partnership Day is to foster and support the development of strong, robust and enduring partnerships between the public safety community and the private security professions.

An example of such a partnership is the New York City Police Department (NYPD) SHIELD program, a public-private partnership liaison program between the NYPD and New York City’s private and public sectors that has been instrumental in the fight against terrorism and criminal activity.

The program has led to significant improvements in public safety and has become a model for similar programs globally.

The organizations say that through these partnerships, leaders in the private security profession can collaborate with the leaders of the law enforcement and public safety community and vice-versa.

The result of this collaboration and knowledge-sharing has significantly improved the level of safety, security and protection of people, property and information.