APCI, founded in 1974 as the Association of Police & Court Interpreters, is a professional association of qualified and experienced public service interpreters working within the Criminal Justice System which represents its members’ interests to work providers and government. The objects of the Association are to raise standards in the profession and foster good relations between its members and the users of their services.

We believe that legal interpreting requires specific skills, which can only be gained through specialised training by accredited bodies and continuing professional development. We aim at achieving protection of title, which will ensure our recognition as a profession, leading to sustainable working terms, conditions and remuneration.

We were founder members of Professional Interpreters for Justice (PI4J) and have always been at the forefront of developments supporting interpreters especially in the struggle for professional recognition. Since 2009 we have been engaged in a campaign funded by our members to oppose the Ministry of Justice outsourcing of interpreting across the justice sector under the Framework Agreement.

We are members of the European Legal Interpreters and Translators Association (EULITA) and the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT).

We are the only interpreters’ association to operate a call centre, known as APCI Response, which is used by work providers to contact interpreters.

APCI celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2014.