Section UK wish all our International Police Association friends a fantastic 70th year of friendship. 2020 has not been what anyone could have imagined. Through our great association, we have not only coped, but grown stronger, serving members by offering practical support and staying in touch.
On the 1st January 1950, a Police Sergeant from Lincolnshire in England realised his dream and the IPA was born. Arthur Troop created an organisation which promoted friendship and cooperation amongst serving and retired police officers and police staff throughout the world, an organisation able to develop social, cultural and professional links free of any discrimination of rank/position, gender, race, language or religion.
Arthur prepared himself for the Association’s 50th Anniversary World Congress, held in Bournemouth, UK, during May 2000. Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, attended the opening ceremony and paid tribute to “… the man from Lincolnshire, for ruthlessly pursuing the arduous task of establishing the International Police Association by Service through Friendship”.
It is fitting that 20 years later, the IPA has proven that the core values of Service and Friendship can withstand throughout an exceptional set of world circumstances. Section UK has lived up to Arthur’s values, and reached out to members from across the Section and indeed the world.
Similar to other Sections, we had a fabulous array of 70th celebration events planned from friendship weeks and fantastic seminars, including the COPS defensive tactics week-long event, to cruises, gala evenings where we looked forward to greeting IPA guests from all over the world. We started the year off with the now regular friendship weekend in Kingussie, Scotland before most of us went into lockdown.
We celebrated the 70th anniversary like most other sections using Zoom and other platforms. In early March we started with a national coffee morning, each Wednesday, which is still growing strong today, with international IPA friends often dropping in for a chat. Branches and regions organised virtual friendship events and stayed in regular touch with each other. We enjoyed local, national, and international quizzes, virtual Gin, Whisky, and Wine tasting evenings, virtual treasure hunts, and even cook the same ingredient dinner nights.
Some of our Special Interest Groups, such as the Family History, Writers, Defensive Tactics, Camping & Caravanning and Motorcycle Groups, were able to meet up on Zoom, keeping friendships up and making new ones.
Section UK held several virtual Gimborn webinars covering professional development, including how the police service was dealing with th
e pandemic. The well-established Writers group held an 8-week “Writing for Pleasure” webinar hosted by IBZ Gimborn, and a UK planned writing weekend at Fox Road morphed into a Writers Zoom weekend.
As a Section, and part of the largest friendship organisation in the world, we are proud of Arthur Troop.
We are proud of how IPA members here continue to reach out and look after members in the true spirit of Friendship. We are proud of our IPA history, and proud to live up to our motto Servo per Amikeco.
Bill Petherick, one of our UK Past Presidents whom many of you know, summed up a few weeks ago his feelings after enjoying the virtual IPA world:
“During the most trying of times, the IPA shows its true strength, reaching out to those in need and offering the hand of friendship. I am proud to be a member of this great organisation”.
We wish you the best for 2021 and hope to see you soon, enjoying a host of fantastic events whether virtual or hopefully in person.
Servo per Amikeco,
Sean Hannigan, Vice President Culture & Communications IPA United Kingdom
