IMLE, before IMPS-SA, was born from the Local Authority Security Association of South Africa (POSV) originally established in 1986. POSV is the acronym for Plaaslike Owerheids Sekuriteits Vereniging. IMLE, established August 1999, provided for a drastic change in vision and scope of the institute at that time, in order to deal in a more coherent multifaceted concept of law enforcement and municipal security as it affected local authorities. Its activities also encompassed the whole of Southern Africa in keeping with government's quest for regional cooperation.