Police Executive Research Forum

The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) was formally established in 1977 by a group of a dozen large city police chiefs who saw the need for an organization that would explore issues and establish a research agenda for municipal policing.

PERF's main goals are to enhance the capabilities of the police, to improve crime control nationwide, [Page 819]to encourage debate in the law enforcement community about police issues, to promote the use of law enforcement research, and finally, to provide leadership, assistance, and management services to police agencies nationwide. In order to satisfy these goals, PERF employs a staff comprised of former police executives, criminal justice experts, and professionals with expertise in research, training, and policy analysis. Continuity has been maintained by a long-serving executive director, Chuck Wexler, who was appointed in 1993 and has continued in that role for more than a decade.

Since its inception, PERF has partnered with private foundations and has received governmental support through research grants and consulting contracts. This has resulted in a national membership that is no longer limited to just large city police chiefs and that also includes executives from smaller cities and from county and state law enforcement agencies. Membership requirements are stringent and differ substantially from other police organizations. PERF members must hold a four-year degree from an accredited institution and they also must be approved by current members. To be eligible for general membership, an applicant must be a police executive who heads a department of at least 100 fulltime employees or oversees a jurisdiction of at least 50,000 people. To broaden the membership base and achieve a diversity of law enforcement viewpoints, PERF has two additional membership categories. Sustaining or subscribing members are typically academicians, law enforcement personnel from smaller jurisdictions, police professionals below the rank of chief executive, and former general members who have retired from police executive positions.