Pearls Conferences

Uniting Global Law Enforcement

- Characteristics of the Pearls conference -

  • Small and interactive. Every year a select group of top level law enforcement leaders with final responsibility are invited by the Pearls Curatorium (max. 35 participants).
  • Informal and personal communication. To ensure informal and personal communication between the participants English is used as the working language during the conference. Translation is not provided.
  • A recognisable concept. Participants know what to expect when they arrive and have the possibility of determining part of the agenda and the topics for next year's conference.
  • A challenging and thought provoking environment. Participants are encouraged to look at policing issues from a global, regional and local perspective and to focus on innovation and future thinking.
  • Peer to peer consultation. During the conference the Pearls participants are encouraged to discuss their professional and personal issues and challenges in a supportive and confidential setting. Being part of this group provides a forum for executives to share their own thoughts and often to see cases in a new light.
  • A learning link between conferences. The International Action Learning Group (IALG) and a small team of internationally renowned academics form the learning link between the Pearls conferences.
  • Chatham House Rule. During the conference there is no media present. The content and findings of the conference, with the exception of the peer to peer sessions, are provided in a detailed report after the conference concludes.

The four components of the Pearls in Policing programme

The annual Pearls conference

Read more

1

The International Action Learning Group (IALG)

Read more

2

The academic forum

Read more

3

Peer to peer consultation

Read more

4

Previous Pearls conferences

Pearls in Policing has brought law enforcement executives from around the world together since 2007. The Pearls in Policing programme is an initiative of the Pearls Curatorium in The Netherlands, consisting of the Commissioner of The Netherlands Police (President of the Curatorium) and the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. This global think tank provides the ideal forum for law enforcement executives to meet in a small scale setting and to discuss the strategic and personal challenges in their profession with their peers – without the pressure of immediate decision making. This makes Pearls more than a networking occasion, as it focuses on the importance of talking about the challenges of our profession, best – and bad – practices that we can share with each other, establishing a joint vision for the future and above all, building trust to ensure effective international collaboration in the field of law enforcement. 

  •
    May 2023
    Sydney, Australia
    The 16th Pearls in Policing Conference was hosted in Sydney, Australia, from 21 – 23 May 2023 and was organised by the by the Australian Federal …
    Read more
  •
    June 2022
    Bern, Switzerland
    The 15th Pearls in Policing Conference was hosted in Bern, Switzerland, from 25 – 29 June 2022 and was organised by the Swiss Federal Office of …
    Read more
  •
    June 2021
    Oslo, Norway
    Due to the ongoing uncertainty, global measurements and travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic it was unfortunately not possible to …
    Read more
  •
    June 2019
    New York City, USA
    The 13th Pearls in Policing Conference was hosted in New York City, USA, from 22 – 26 June 2019 and organised by the New York Police Department and …
    Read more
  •
    June 2018
    Medellín, Colombia
    The 12th Pearls in Policing Conference was hosted in Medellín, Colombia, from 23 – 27 June 2018 and organised by the National Police of Colombia …
    Read more
  •
    June 2017
    Toronto, Canada
    The 11th Pearls in Policing Conference was hosted in Toronto, Canada, from 10 – 14 June 2017 and organised by the Toronto Police Service and the …
    Read more
Load more
Website
Contact
Address
  • Pearls in Policing Secretariat
  • P.O. Box 17107
  • 2502 CC THE HAGUE
  • The Netherlands

Peer to peer consultation

During the Pearls conference participants are provided the opportunity to discuss their individual and/or professional dilemmas with their peers and search for ideas and different directions in solving law enforcement challenges in a supportive and confidential setting. Being part of these dialogues often helps to see these cases in a new light and they offer insight into other people’s perspectives on both a professional and personal level.

The annual Pearls conference

The main aim of the Pearls in Policing conference is bringing together top level executives of police and law enforcement agencies around the world to discuss the challenges we all face and exchange thoughts and ideas on various topics related to a yearly changing theme. The three day conference is held annually in June and is attended by a maximum of 35 law enforcement leaders (Commissioners or their Deputies). Knowledge is gained through the input of the International Action Learning Group (IALG), intensive debate amongst the participants, inspiring interactive sessions with (external) speakers and peer to peer consultations. Each year the Pearls conference is organised in cooperation with a hosting law enforcement organisation. The rotation of the conference is critical to the vision, mission agenda and outreach to all parts of the world, and with that the long-term success of Pearls. A strong collaboration between the participating law enforcement organisations lies at the base of this partnership.

The International Action Learning Group (IALG)

The IALG is a global executive leadership programme and the learning link between the Pearls in Policing conferences. The programme facilitates the strategic, professional and personal development of selected senior officials of law enforcement officials from around the world and is based on action learning: research, work and learning at the same time. A maximum of 20 IALG participants gather three times a year in different places around the world and they use future-oriented, innovative thinking to explore an emerging strategic issue relevant to the future of policing. They spend a year working on an assignment, which has been formulated during the previous year’s Pearls in Policing conference, and the IALG findings are presented each year at the start of the Pearls in Policing conference.

The academic forum

A small group of internationally renowned academics focus on the same assignment carried out by the IALG. Throughout the IALG programme they support the participants with their academic insights and give advice on ways to structure and present their research and final outcomes. During the Pearls conference the academics participate in the programme themselves to bring the findings of the IALG even further.