FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: I want to study Security & Safety Sciences. Can I do so in ISA?
A: No. ISA is a non-profit Association with the main mission the development of science, but not a school. ISA cooperates -so far- with ISO-SEC which is a "further education school" with the vision to be upgraded in Academic School of Security & Safety Sciences (except all other). If you are in the specific time that you need to decide which Academic School you must choose, we suggest you make an advanced search and to chose an accredited university for that. We do have suggestions, but before we provide them to you, is better first you to make your search and then to contact us.
Q: I work in the private security industry. Why should I be an ISA member?
A: ISA supports its members to obtain a higher level of knowledge, at the lowest possible cost. This by itself is a serious motive for someone to be an ISA member. But this support is directed to our active members. The active member of ISA is not the member who just pay his/her membership fees. Is the member who will take his/her time and he/she will communicate with us, reporting the problems he/she faces in his country. The member who will think and provide us his/her suggestions, how the problems around his/her profession can be resolved. The member who will SUPPORT our research by his/her opinion. This is the active ISA member.
IF the only motive you have is to demonstrate a member's certificate to your future employees and nothing more than that, then the answer to your question "if you should join ISA" will be negative. You can join us in any way, but don't expect anything in return than the membership certificate, if YOU don't give anything to our Association. The membership fees are good, as it helps us to pay the electric and the telephone, but not the main point of ISA. Our main point is the PROGRESS and only with your ACTIVE support, we can succeed.
Q: I am an active Law Enforcement Officer. Can I join ISA?
A: Yes. Not only you can, but you MUST. LEOs are in need of our educational programmes, more than anyone else. Between us, we have police investigators, 911, police detectives, forensic experts and many more.
Q: ISA's members are only from the security industry?
A: No. ISA covers all specializations of security, law enforcement, emergency, etc., up to military officials. All implicated parties in a security and safety issue and keep in mind that in "security" is included also the National Security.
Q: I tried to find the link to make my ISA membership online and I didn't find anything. Why?
A: The reason is simple. ISA is NOT an open business. Before we accept someone between us, we need to know who is the person. That's why we ask the applicant to send us his resume/CV before we decide to provide him/her the way to enter our society. Not many stipulations, but we must be sure that the applicant can offer something to our society. To be ISA member, you need to send us:
1. FIRST CONTACT: Your detailed resume/CV with a photo in it. If you don't have one, is the perfect time to make one.
2. FINAL CONTACT: Soonest we approve your resume, we will send you an email, asking you to send us:
2.1. All documents that can prove what is mentioned in your resume/CV.
2.2. A detailed report about your job and the problems you or others in the same specialization are facing in your country/area and the expectations you have from ISA.
2.3. Copy of your ID/Passport (must be scanned and clear)
2.4. Other documents (like security license, or a valid police ID, etc.), but these documents you must send them at the end of the procedure. In some occasions we don't ask them as in some country is illegal to provide them, but in this case, you must project them physically to one of our Executives of your area/country and he/she must certify to us your data.
2.5. You provide us your approval to make a police background check for you.
Q: Should I pay every 12 months my membership, starting the day I paid it for the first time?
A: Not exactly. To keep daily a track to membership expirations it is very costly and someone must pay for these services (you who else?). For this reason we decided to make memberships for the current year (membership of the year 2018, membership of the year 2019, etc.). This means that if you pay from 1st of January until the end of October, you pay for the current year and you must pay the same amount if you become a member on January or on October. If you pay after the end of October, then you pay for the next year, but your membership is valid since the day you paid your membership fees.
And after then, every year, you must pay within the month December, the membership fees of the next year, WITHOUT to wait to see if we will send you reminding emails. We don't send emails. If you don't pay, your membership expires and to be renewed you must submit a new application, losing all possible privileges of an old member. If you don't pay it means you don't believe in the role of ISA, and it's better for you and for us, you do not pay ever again. But if you wish, you can always apply for a new membership, except if we deleted you and we aren't obligated to explain you even the reason.
Q: What is the cost of the membership?
A: Not an easy question. The cost is depended on many things, but mainly from the status, you have. The basic amount is 30 €, but according to your status, you must pay also the difference. The reason for these differences is simple. Not same type of membership and access to education and information of someone who just entered the profession and another type of membership of a General of the Police or of the Army. Even if someone willing to pay higher membership fees to obtain a higher type of membership, this is not possible to happen. Also not possible for someone with higher status to pay for a lower type of membership.
With this way we created a fair membership policy from one hand, and from the other hand we provide a classification, as i.e. in a conference which is designed for law enforcement higher officers, to not enter members without the necessary classification.
Keep in mind that there are some conferences, seminars, and meetings for Law Enforcement and Military, that does NOT participate even the President of ISA, but ISA acts only as the organizer of the event and nothing more than that. In ISA we give a serious attention to the classification of the information that can possibly move under our Association.
For more information about the membership fees cost, please click here.
Q: When ISA have elections?
A: After the number of its members is equal or bigger than 50,000 officially registered and ACTIVE members. This and the official way and date of elections will be announced officially on our website and in social media.
Q: When an ISA member grants the ability to vote?
A: After 5 continuous years of an ACTIVE membership (explained above what active means in ISA) and ISA members around the world are more than 50,000.
Q: When a member can apply for ISA's Board of Directors?
A: After the member has the ability to vote. In order his/her application to be accepted, he/she must be suggested by an existing member of the Board, or he/she carrying a Certificate of Excellence of ISA (Type F and up) and he/she holds a Ph.D. Degree, in a specialization familiar with ISA's subjects. Exclusions only under the approval of ISA's President.
Q: Which is the salary of the members of the Board of Directors and of the President today?
A: No salary is paid out to any of our Directors, Vice President and President today. We use every income back to our members.
Q: And how ISA survives?
A: By using offices and workforce of other activities of its today's President. Anyway ISA is a contribution to science. In our case, this is a result of a vision and not of a "business deal".
Q: ISA is a governmental organization?
A: No. It's not. But it is an official Swiss non-profit Association, with the main mission the research and the science in the field of security & safety. Does not exist anything similar globally so far we know.
Q: ISA provides any type of licensing?
A: No. We are an international association. Licensing is not possible to be provided by any non-local authority and the training certificate must be issued by a local school/institute/other which is officially approved by the local government to provide these courses. The training material is also appointed/created by the government.
Our certificates are certificates of attendance and what we actually provide is further knowledge/education, made out of international research, experience, and practice, by instructors and teachers with demonstrated skills, background, and experience.
Q: Your certificates can be used to obtain a work license/permit?
A: No. We repeat that, licensing it is ONLY a local issue. You must receive courses from a local school, approved by your government and then you can use their certificate to obtain a work permit/license by the Security Licensing Authority of your country.
Q: But then why i.e. security operatives from other countries attending courses appointed by the Security Industry Authority (SIA)? I know Close Protection Officers from France who carry an SIA license. Is SIA license useful in France?
A: Absolutely NOT. If you want to work in France as a Close Protection Officer, you need to receive a special training by licensed FRENCH schools, to present their certificate to CNAPS (the French Security Licensing Authority) and to obtain a CNAPS license. If you want to live and work i.e. in England, then CNAPS license is useless. THEN the SIA license it's not only useful but mandatory according to the law of the country.
Q: To be an ISA Member can help my status as professional?
A: Yes. To be ISA or WBA member means you are properly checked and your status meets our expectations. This is a proof that your status is better than those they aren't ISA members. To understand why, please watch the video below.
If you have more questions, please contact us.