Police Foundation

What Police Foundation does

The National Policing Institute (NPI), formerly the Police Foundation (founded 1970) and briefly the National Police Foundation (2019-2022), is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research and training organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. NPI delivers evidence-based research, training curricula, technical assistance, and consulting services to U.S. law enforcement agencies — federal, state, local, and tribal — across three strategic priorities: Safety & Wellness, Community Trust & the Legitimacy of Policing, and Violence & Force. Its core program portfolio includes the National Law Enforcement Roadway Safety Program (NLERSP), the Crisis Intervention and Effective De-escalation Program (developed with PERF and BJA), the National Resource and Technical Assistance Center (NRTAC) and Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) support (with ATF), and the Law Enforcement Officer Near Miss Reporting System (LEO Near Miss). Complementing these flagship programs is a consulting practice offering staffing studies, efficiency analysis using Lean principles, organizational assessments, workforce wellness analysis, and data quality assessments. Recent product evolution includes AI-mediated offerings: e-TRAIN (mobile scenario-based de-escalation training, launched January 2025) and the AI-Driven Police Professionalism Project (audio analytics on body-worn cameras, anticipated November 2025), alongside the Transforming Training through BWC Analysis collaboration with Polis Solutions. Operating subsidiaries include the Center for Mass Violence Response Studies (2018) and the Council on Policing Reforms and Race (2020).

NPI funds operations primarily through federal grants from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office); corporate sponsorships from Arnold Ventures, Axon, Microsoft, Capital One, Dominion Energy, and Galls; and individual donations. The organization employs between 11-50 staff organized across Training & Technical Assistance, Science & Innovation, Knowledge/Learning/Translation, and Operations & Finance functions. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting police departments, sheriff's offices, and criminal justice agencies, supplemented by no-cost research partnership opportunities funded through DOJ grants. Marketing and distribution rely on the OnPolicing blog, a research publications library, an InFocus monthly newsletter, events and webinars, and earned media. The organization holds the Candid 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency, a Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating (2026), and consecutive Best Nonprofits to Work For recognition (2024, 2025).

Name

Police Foundation

Legal name

National Policing Institute

Website

https://policinginstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Policing Institute (formerly Police Foundation) is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research and training organization that delivers evidence-based programs, consulting, and technical assistance to U.S. federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in three priority areas: Safety & Wellness, Community Trust & Legitimacy, and Violence & Force.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Law Enforcement Research and Consulting Services

NAICS

Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services (56161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Law Enforcement & Police Academy Training (EDAOAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Security Risk Assessment, Auditing & Security Consulting Training (BPAKAOAH), Safety Compliance, Audits & Risk Assessments (Security Assessments, CPTED) (EDAEACAN)

Keywords

• Law enforcement research
• Policing consulting services
• Evidence-based policing
• Officer safety training
• Police organizational assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: NPI receives significant funding from federal government agencies including Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to conduct research, training, and technical assistance projects.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate partners including Arnold Ventures, Axon, Microsoft, Capital One, and others provide financial support and collaborative partnerships for research initiatives and programs.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and organizational donations support NPI's mission to advance policing through science and innovation. The organization accepts monthly giving and major gifts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The National Policing Institute (formerly Police Foundation) provides evidence-based research, training curricula, technical assistance, and organizational consulting to U.S. law enforcement agencies. Core offerings include officer safety training programs (such as the National Law Enforcement Roadway Safety Program), de-escalation and crisis intervention training standards, Crime Gun Intelligence Center support, and consulting services spanning staffing studies, efficiency analysis, organizational assessments, workforce wellness benchmarking, and data quality evaluation.

Product overview

The National Policing Institute (NPI), formerly Police Foundation, operates as a research and consulting organization rather than a software product company. NPI offers a portfolio of research programs, training initiatives, and consulting services organized around three strategic priorities: Safety & Wellness, Community Trust & the Legitimacy of Policing, and Violence & Force. Core programs include the National Law Enforcement Roadway Safety Program (NLERSP) for officer safety training, the Crisis Intervention and De-escalation Program for developing national standards, NRTAC and CGIC Support for investigative improvement, and the LEO Near Miss reporting system for officer safety. NPI's consulting division provides staffing studies, efficiency analysis, organizational assessments, workforce wellness analysis, and data quality assessments to law enforcement agencies. The organization also produces publications and research reports including the 'Policing in Partnership' report sponsored by the Art Loss Register.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Law Enforcement Roadway Safety Program (NLERSP): Training and technical assistance program to prevent officer injuries and fatalities on roadways
• Law Enforcement Officer Near Miss Reporting System (LEO Near Miss)
• Center for Mass Violence Response Studies
• Council on Policing Reforms and Race

Products and services

• National Law Enforcement Roadway Safety Program (NLERSP) Provides training and technical assistance to state, local, and tribal law enforcement with the goal of preventing officer injuries and fatalities on the nation's roadways. Offers 4-hour executive sessions, 8-hour patrol officer courses, and 8-hour train-the-trainer courses.
• Crisis Intervention and Effective De-escalation Program Develops national standards for de-escalation training and policies and a national model curriculum that enhances law enforcement response to crises. Partnership with Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) supported by Bureau of Justice Assistance, based on ICAT and CRIT programs.
• National Resource and Technical Assistance Center for Improving Law Enforcement Investigations (NRTAC) and Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) Support Provides technical assistance to criminal justice stakeholders to improve quality and equity of investigative outcomes. Partners with ATF to support local multidisciplinary teams in establishing Crime Gun Intelligence Centers in jurisdictions.
• Law Enforcement Officer Near Miss Reporting System (LEO Near Miss) Online repository of near miss incidents involving officers to improve officer safety.
• Staffing Studies Data-backed staffing projections for patrol, investigative, and support units using actual workload and call volume data rather than generic ratios for defensible staffing decisions.
• Efficiency Analysis and Improvement Comprehensive risk assessments and workflow optimization using Lean principles, enabling agencies to do more with less even when hiring additional staff is not an option.
• Organizational Assessment Evaluation of internal operations to help police agencies refine organizational structure, enhancing accountability, morale, and community policing outcomes.
• Workforce Wellness Analysis Identification of internal stressors experienced by staff with benchmarking against best practices to develop actionable wellness programs tailored to the agency.
• Data Quality Assessment Evaluation of agency data systems for completeness, consistency, and accuracy, ensuring quality control for strategic operations and leadership.
• e-TRAIN: Enhancing Police De-escalation Training Through Mobile Scenario-Based Learning Mobile, neuroscience-informed de-escalation training using agency body-worn camera footage to sharpen officers' de-escalation decision-making.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AxoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAxon partners with NPI on technology and innovation initiatives related to law enforcement tools and evidence-based policing practices.
• Institute for Intergovernmental ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIIR partners with NPI on the National Law Enforcement Roadway Safety Program (NLERS) to provide training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies.
• Police Executive Research ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPERF collaborates with NPI on national de-escalation training standards development and crisis intervention training initiatives.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft provides technology partnership support for NPI's innovation initiatives in data analytics and law enforcement technology assessment.
• Polis SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolis Solutions partnered with NPI to offer body-worn camera video analysis tools and services leveraging TrustStat technology for law enforcement agencies.
• George Mason University's Center for Evidence-Based Crime PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for evidence-based crime policy research and knowledge exchange in policing.
• University of Virginia's Center for Public Safety and JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for public safety research and justice system improvement initiatives.
• ZencitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNPI partnered with Zencity to launch the inaugural NPI-Zencity Public Safety Confidence Index, measuring American perceptions of law enforcement.
• National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting officer safety and remembrance initiatives.
• MovementForward, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for community engagement and public safety initiatives.
• National Criminal Justice AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partnership for criminal justice advocacy and knowledge sharing.
• New York State Chiefs of Police AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level law enforcement association partnership.
• CALEAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies partnership for accreditation support services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Police1 (Lexipol): Police1 is the leading law enforcement media and training-content platform owned by Lexipol, providing online training, news, and policy resources to U.S. agencies. It is adjacent in serving the same customer base with content/training but operates a commercial model.

Direct peers

• Vera Institute of Justice: Vera is a nonprofit research and policy organization advancing criminal justice reform through pilot programs, research, and technical assistance to agencies. It serves overlapping federal and state funder relationships and competes for similar policing-research and technical-assistance grants.
• Police Executive Research Forum (PERF): PERF is a nonprofit police research and policy organization that, like NPI, delivers applied research, executive training, and policy guidance to U.S. law enforcement leaders. PERF explicitly co-develops de-escalation standards and crisis intervention curricula with NPI, making it the closest direct peer in mission, funding model, and customer base.
• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP): IACP is a membership association for police chiefs and senior officers that conducts research, develops training, and issues policy guidance to U.S. and international law enforcement. It overlaps directly with NPI on training, training standards, and research publications serving the same agency-level buyer.
• Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR): IIR is a nonprofit that delivers training, technical assistance, and research to justice and public safety agencies. NPI lists IIR as a core strategic partner on the NLERS program, indicating overlapping federal grant funding, training programs, and customer base.

Emerging players

• RAND Corporation (Public Safety Research): RAND conducts criminal justice, policing, and public safety research for federal, state, and local clients. It competes for policing-research grants with NPI and frequently publishes on use-of-force, body-worn cameras, and community trust.
• CNA (Center for Naval Analyses) — Public Safety Division: CNA operates a public safety research and training practice that serves law enforcement agencies with evaluation, training, and technical assistance. It is a comparable mid-sized research/training nonprofit competing for similar federal and foundation funding.

Broad incumbents

• National Institute of Justice (NIJ): NIJ is the federal research arm of DOJ and a flagship funder of NPI's research initiatives. It commissions and publishes policing research itself, making it a partial competitor in setting evidence-based policing direction.
• Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office): The COPS Office is a DOJ component that funds community policing training, accreditation, and de-escalation programs. It is both a major funder of NPI and a producer/disseminator of policing training content that overlaps with NPI's offerings.
• Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA): BJA is the federal funding entity that administers many of the grants NPI depends on for NLERSP, CGIC, and crisis intervention work. As a federal agency, it shapes the policing-research agenda and funding landscape in which NPI operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/police-foundation
• Xx.com/PoliceFound
• Facebookfacebook.com/thepolicefoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Police Foundation