AQUAPOL is a self-governing Association of maritime- and inland navigation related law-enforcement authorities from EU member-states and from Switzerland.   AQUAPOL’s aim is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of inland- and maritime shipping related law-enforcement in Europe and to contribute to a more harmonized approach of enforcement in this domain.  The activities of AQUAPOL include: exchange of good practice, exchange of control information, joint training, joint international control operations, joint advice regarding legislation and joint lobby.  On behalf of the members, the AQUAPOL Association establishes and maintains contacts with relevant institutions and organizations at the international and/or European level.Aquapol was founded in 2002 by the Dutch, German and Belgium Water Police Forces.  In 2011 the under mentioned Police Forces and Inspectorates are Aquapol Members.

1. Federal Police Belgium
2. Netherlands Police Agency, Water Police
3. Regional Police Force Rotterdam-Rijnmond, Sea Port Police
4. Water Police Lower Saxony (MaritimeShipping) Wasserschutzpolizei Niedersachsen, Germany
5. Water Police Rhineland Palatine (InlandShipping) Wasserschutzpolizei Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
6. Direction Generale de la Gendarmerie Nationale, Compagnie Fluviale de Gendarmerie du Rhin et Le Gendarmerie Maritime, France
7. Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology Supreme Shipping Authority, Austria
8. Inland Shipping Inspectorate, Czech Republic
9. Directorate for Public Order Police and Railway Police, Czech Republic
10.Inland Shipping Inspectorate, Slovakia
11.Swiss Rhine Ports Basel, Switzerland
12.Danube River Police, Hungary
13.General Inspectorate of Romanian Police, Director of Transport Police, Romania
14.Romanian Naval Authority
15.Kent Police Specialist Operations Directorate, United Kingdom
16.Guardia Civil Jefatura del Servicio Maritimo, Spain
17.Guarda National Republicana, Portugal
18.Ministry of Transport, Information, Technology and Communications Maritime Administration, Bulgaria
19.Ministry of Interior Chief Directorate of Border Police, Bulgaria

Every year AQUAPOL carries out a number of international control operations, joint by all members. During these operations, checks regarding illegal employment on board, exceeding navigation times, neglecting safety and security regulations, navigation under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, insufficient qualification of crew members and breaking of environmental rules are carried out. Over the last few years the joint control operations showed that about 30% of the checked vessels were not in order. In these cases one or more violations of the rules were found during the checks.