Police Executive Research Forum
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| Police Executive Research Forum | |
|---|---|
| Name | Police Executive Research Forum |
| Abbreviation | PERF |
| Formation | 1976 |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Region served | United States |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Police Executive Research Forum
The Police Executive Research Forum was founded as a membership organization for chief law enforcement executives in the United States and Canada, emerging from discussions among leaders from agencies such as the New York City Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, and Chicago Police Department. The organization has engaged with officials from the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and municipal bodies including the District of Columbia and City of Boston to develop policies and best practices. Its work has intersected with commissions and inquiries such as the Christopher Commission, the Wickersham Commission, and local police reform efforts in cities like Minneapolis, Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore.
History
The group's origins trace to executive meetings involving chiefs from the NYPD, LAPD, and Philadelphia Police Department who sought a forum parallel to associations like the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police; early discussions coincided with national debates after events including the Watts riots and the Attica Prison riot. In the 1980s and 1990s the organization expanded during eras shaped by legislation such as the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and engaged with initiatives from the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Institute of Justice. Following high-profile incidents involving officers in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and St. Louis County, Missouri, the forum became more prominent in post-incident review processes alongside entities like the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and presidential commissions.
Mission and Activities
The organization's mission emphasizes improving policing through research, policy development, and training, aligning with stakeholders such as the Department of Homeland Security, civil rights groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, and community organizations in locales including Oakland, California and Cleveland, Ohio. It conducts activities that involve collaboration with think tanks such as the Brookings Institution, academic centers like the Harvard Kennedy School and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and municipal leaders from Seattle, Denver, and San Francisco. The forum also participates in multi-agency task forces addressing issues linked to federal programs overseen by the Office of the Attorney General and public safety initiatives promoted by the National Governors Association.
Research and Publications
The organization publishes reports, blueprints, and policy papers used by chief executives in agencies including the Miami Police Department and the Detroit Police Department, often citing data sources like the Uniform Crime Reports and the National Crime Victimization Survey. Its reports have covered topics spanning use-of-force practices reviewed after incidents in Ferguson, Missouri, reforms advocated during debates involving the Civil Rights Division (United States Department of Justice), and analyses of trends addressed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Publications have intersected with academic journals at institutions such as Columbia University, University of Chicago, and Stanford University, and with grant programs from the MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
Training and Programs
The forum designs executive-level courses and leadership programs attended by commanders from the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, chiefs from the Houston Police Department, and senior officers from the Phoenix Police Department. Programs have included scenario-based training developed with partners like the National Sheriffs' Association and curriculum contributions from faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and the Northwestern University Center on Law and Policy. Training also addresses subjects raised in litigation involving the United States Supreme Court, consent decrees negotiated with the Civil Rights Division (United States Department of Justice), and reforms implemented under mayoral administrations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City.
Policy Influence and Advocacy
The organization has influenced policy debates at municipal, state, and federal levels, offering recommendations during congressional hearings before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee and consultations with the House Judiciary Committee. Its advocacy has shaped discussion on legislation like the First Step Act in areas of sentencing-adjacent policing practices and on executive actions by administrations in the White House. The forum's testimony and amicus briefs have been cited in proceedings involving the Supreme Court of the United States and in consent decree negotiations involving police agencies in Baltimore, Cleveland, and Seattle.
Organization and Governance
Governance is managed by an executive board composed of police chiefs and sheriffs from jurisdictions such as the Philadelphia Police Department, San Diego Police Department, and Milwaukee Police Department, with executive leadership liaising with funders including foundations like the Carnegie Corporation and federal grant programs administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The organization operates a Washington office interacting with officials from the United States Department of Justice, members of Congress from delegations including California and New York, and municipal officials from cities like Atlanta and Portland, Oregon.