Center for Problem-Oriented Policing

What Center for Problem-Oriented Policing does

The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing (CPOP) is a non-profit academic research center affiliated with Arizona State University's Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, specifically housed within the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice. Its mission is to advance problem-oriented policing (POP) in free and democratic societies by producing and disseminating research- and practice-based knowledge about effective methods for addressing specific policing problems. The center's core methodology is the SARA (Scan, Analyze, Respond, Assess) problem-solving framework, applied across a library of more than 50 peer-reviewed Problem-Specific Guides covering categories including alcohol and drug problems, violence, vehicle-related crime, youth and juvenile issues, traffic problems, and — most recently — wilderness and environmental problems.

The center's product surface consists entirely of informational and educational resources rather than commercial technology. Core offerings include the POP Guides series, the POP Projects database (documenting agency implementations including Goldstein Award winners), a Library archive, a Learning Center for educational use, translations into Spanish and Portuguese, and an annual POP Conference that convenes practitioners and researchers. The organization also administers the Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing, a long-running industry recognition. All digital resources are freely downloadable as PDFs, and bound copies are distributed through the Department of Justice COPS Response Center at no cost. The center does not offer software, an API, or any technology platform.

CPOP's business model is freemium in pricing mechanics but fully grant- and institution-funded in revenue mechanics: it charges nothing for any resource and is sustained by ASU institutional funding as an academic unit. Its go-to-market is community-led and knowledge-sharing, targeting law enforcement agencies, criminology researchers and students, and criminal justice policymakers worldwide. The center has 1-10 employees, no disclosed revenue, no funding rounds, and no commercial investors; its operating continuity depends on its parent university's academic budget allocation.

Name

Center for Problem-Oriented Policing

Legal name

Center for Problem-Oriented Policing

Website

https://popcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing is a non-profit academic center at Arizona State University that produces and freely distributes peer-reviewed POP Guides and research-based resources on the SARA problem-solving methodology for global law enforcement agencies, researchers, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Law Enforcement Research and Training

NAICS

Police Protection (922120), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (9221)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Police Services (Patrol, Response & Community Policing) (BPAIAGAA)

Keywords

• Problem-oriented policing
• Law enforcement guides
• Crime prevention research
• Police training resources
• Criminal justice research

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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, Others

Revenue model

1. ASU Institutional Funding: The center operates as an academic unit of Arizona State University, receiving institutional funding and support. Services including guides, resources, and conferences are provided free of charge to users.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing (CPOP) is an academic research center within Arizona State University that produces and disseminates peer-reviewed, research-based Problem-Specific Guides (POP Guides) and supporting resources that help law enforcement agencies analyze and address specific crime and disorder problems using the SARA (Scan/Analyze/Respond/Assess) methodology. All guides, resources, and conferences are provided free of charge.

Product overview

The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing is an academic/research center affiliated with Arizona State University that produces and disseminates knowledge resources for law enforcement. Its core offering is the POP Guides series (Problem-Specific Guides) - peer-reviewed publications that help police agencies apply problem-oriented policing to specific crime and disorder issues. Supporting products include POP Projects (award submissions and case studies), the Library (archived resources), Learning Center (educational materials), annual Conferences & Awards (including the Herman Goldstein Award), and Translations (guides available in Spanish and Portuguese). The guides cover diverse policing problems including youth/juvenile issues, violence, vehicle-related crime, substance abuse, disorder, and traffic safety. The organization does not offer a technology platform, software product, or API services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• POP Guides (Problem-Specific Guides) Comprehensive, peer-reviewed publications that help law enforcement agencies apply problem-oriented policing to specific crime and disorder issues using the SARA methodology. Available as free PDF downloads.
• POP Projects Database Online collection of submissions from police agencies documenting their implementation of problem-oriented policing projects, including Herman Goldstein Award and Tilley Award entries.
• Learning Center Educational resources and materials for learning problem-oriented policing concepts and methodology.
• Library Comprehensive archive of POP Guides, award submissions, and reference materials organized by topic area.
• Annual POP Conference and Herman Goldstein Award Annual conference bringing together researchers and practitioners, along with the Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing recognizing outstanding POP projects by law enforcement agencies.
• Translated POP Guides Selected POP Guides translated into Spanish and Portuguese for broader international reach.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% decline in youth held in juvenile-justice facilities from 2000 to 2020 (from 108,800 to 25,000)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Arizona State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPOP operates as a center within Arizona State University's Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, specifically affiliated with the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice. ASU provides institutional support, infrastructure, and academic oversight.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Vera Institute of Justice: A major research and policy nonprofit working broadly on justice reform including policing. Vera's Center on Policing and work on evidence-based practices overlap with CPOP's research-driven approach to improving policing outcomes.
• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP): The largest professional association for police leaders worldwide, providing training, policy resources, and research to law enforcement. IACP's research dissemination and practitioner education overlap directly with CPOP's mission.
• DOJ Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office: The federal office responsible for advancing community policing through grants, training, and resources. The COPS Office already partners with CPOP to distribute bound guides and shares the same audience of police agencies.
• RAND Corporation (Public Safety Research): RAND conducts rigorous research on policing, criminal justice, and public safety for government clients. Its evidence-based policing research and policy reports address similar practitioner audiences and use comparable methodology.
• National Institute of Justice (NIJ): The research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ funds and disseminates policing and criminal justice research to a similar practitioner and policymaker audience as CPOP.

Direct peers

• Police Executive Research Forum (PERF): A nonprofit research organization focused on improving policing through research, policy guidance, and executive-level training. PERF serves a closely overlapping audience of police executives and produces comparable research-based knowledge resources.
• Police Foundation: An independent nonprofit dedicated to advancing policing through research, innovation, and evidence-based practice. The Police Foundation's research output, publications, and direct engagement with police agencies make it a directly comparable knowledge and research peer.
• Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy (George Mason University): An academic center housed at George Mason University that advances evidence-based policing through research, training, and policy guidance. CEBCP's university-based structure, research focus, and policing practitioner audience align closely with CPOP.

Regional players

• International Centre for the Prevention of Crime: An international nonprofit focused on crime prevention through research, policy advice, and practitioner networks. It addresses similar problem-solving and prevention frameworks from a more internationally focused, non-US perspective.

Emerging players

• Campbell Collaboration Crime and Justice Group: Produces systematic reviews of criminology and criminal justice research used by practitioners and policymakers. The Campbell Crime and Justice Group shares CPOP's evidence-synthesis approach and overlapping academic-practitioner audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-problem-oriented-policing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Problem-Oriented Policing