National Policing Institute (NPI)

National Policing Institute (NPI) is a law enforcement-focused think tank and research organization. 1 Founded in 1970 as the Police Foundation through a grant from the left-of-center Ford Foundation, 1 NPI calls for what it identifies as “science-based” policing reforms 2 and identifies the critical race theory-influenced concept of equity as one of its core values. 3

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Criminal Justice Policy
Website: www.policinginstitute.org
Formation:

1970

President:

Jim Burch

Location: Arlington, VA View on map
Tax ID: 52-0906599
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2025): Assets: $5,517,772 Revenue: $10,661,371 Expenses: $11,487,010

Contents

    Following the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, NPI released a statement saying that policing must continue to “atone” for Floyd’s death “as a profession.” 4

    NPI Policing Institute received a grant from Mackenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2022. 5 NPI also received $300,000 grants from the left-of-center John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 2016 6 and 2018. 6 7

    History and Leadership

    National Policing Institute (NPI) was originally founded as the Police Foundation in 1970 through a seed grant from the left-of-center Ford Foundation. 1 In 2019, the organization rebranded as the National Police Foundation and moved from Washington, D.C., to Arlington, Virginia. In 2022, National Police Foundation changed its name to National Policing Institute. 1 8

    Jim Birch is the president of NPI. Prior to joining NPI, Birch worked at the U.S. Department of Justice for 20 years. Birch is on the board of directors for the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial Fund and the National Public Safety GIS Foundation. 9 In 2019, Birch wrote a letter to the editor in the New York Times saying that eyewitness identification of suspects is not based on current science and that re-evaluation of policing procedures is necessary. 10

    Activities and Funding

    National Policing Institute is a law enforcement-focused think tank and research organization. NPI calls for what it identifies as “science-based” policing reforms 11 and identifies the critical race theory-influenced concept of equity as one of its core values. 3 NPI consults with municipalities considering reforms to their law enforcement practices, 12 hosts events on law enforcement-related topics, 13  and publishes reports on various law enforcement topics. 14

    NPI president Jim Burch has said the organization will “work tirelessly” to pursue the implementation of the critical race theory-influenced concept of equity in policing and law enforcement practices. 15 Following the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, NPI released a statement saying that policing must continue to “atone” for the death “as a profession.” 4

    In 2021, NPI collaborated with the Futures Working Group (FWG) to release a research paper on what NPI defines as neighborhood-driven policing 16 and released a paper with Cure Violence Global, Trust Network and Police 2 Peace  that called right-of-center militia groups “unauthorized” and claimed they are not protected by the Second Amendment. 17 Also in 2021, former NPI president Jim Bueermann claimed that “far-right groups carrying Blue Lives Matter slogans” present a threat to community safety and the legitimacy of democratic policing. 18

    In 2020, NPI established the Council on Policing Reforms and Race to address issues regarding police reforms and race. 19 15 With the council’s creation, NPI acknowledged that it believes “racism, bias, and culture” led to the deterioration of trust and respect between law enforcement and African American communities. 20

    NPI is a national partner of the 30×30 Initiative  in an effort to increase the number of women police officers. 21 Previously, NPI has collaborated with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for crime gun intelligence centers (CGIC), training, and technical assistance on various law enforcement activities. 22 NPI leadership has also praised Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) for introducing the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act. 23 24

    Funding

    National Policing Institute receives funds from individual donations and grants. 25 In 2020, NPI reported revenue of $10,429,298 and expenses of $9,309,351. In 2019, NPI reported revenue of $8,478,739 and expenses of $8,142,521. 2 In 2019, NPI spent $7,127,756 on program service fees for program development, policing research, and community and outreach activities. 26

    In 2022, NPI received a grant from the left-of-center Arnold Ventures to conduct a study on “procedural justice training” with the National Institutes of Health. 27 28 In 2021, National Policing Institute received a grant from Mackenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. 5 NPI also received sponsorship from Microsoft in 2021. 29

    NPI received $50,000 from the left-of-center Communities Foundation of Texas in 2019. 30 In 2018, NPI received a $300,000 grant from the left-of-center John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation 6 and $5,585 from the left-of-center Urban Institute. 7 NPI received a separate $300,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation in 2016. 6

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2025 $5,517,772 $10,661,371 $11,487,010
    2024 $6,983,774 $13,620,855 $14,780,002 View
    2023 $8,518,005 $11,479,350 $12,181,164 View
    2022 $4,637,035 $14,115,250 $13,176,358 View
    2021 $4,608,281 $7,529,893 $8,273,594 View
    2020 $5,943,495 $10,429,298 $9,309,351 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 61

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    James BurchPRESIDENT$589,527
    Nicholas Cunningham CPACHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER$217,732
    Erin VermilyeSENIOR DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT$213,599
    Holly KobiaSENIOR DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY$198,275
    Kaitlyn PerezSENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING$194,426
    Humberto CardounelSENIOR DIRECTOR OF TRAINING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE$193,422
    Laura WyckoffSENIOR DIRECTOR OF KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING, AND TRANSL$183,412
    Jane Mott-PalmerCHIEF OF STAFF$177,562

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $34,952,738
    • Number of Grants: 95
    • Number of Funders: 45

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $6,001,5002022 National Philanthropic TrustPUBLIC, SOCIETAL BENEFIT
    $6,000,0002022 MacKenzie ScottMacKenzie Scott made an unrestricted grant of $6,000,000 to National Policing Institute. Mission: The National Policing Institute, formerly known as the National Police Foundation, was established in 1970 as a non-partisan, non-profit, research and policy organization dedicated to advancing policing through innovation and scientific research.
    $976,4532024 Police Foundation's Third Decade Fund for Improving Public SafetyOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $921,7482020 Police Foundation's Third Decade Fund for Improving Public SafetyOperational support
    $910,7922023 Police Foundation's Third Decade Fund for Improving Public SafetyOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $703,7392022 Police Foundation's Third Decade Fund for Improving Public SafetyOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $574,1132024 Arnold VenturesTO CONDUCT A MULTI-SITE REPLICATION OF A PRIOR EXPERIMENTAL STUDY, IN WHICH A PROMISING, LOW-COST SUPERVISORY INTERVENTION LED TO REDUCED ARRESTS AND USE OF FORCE.
    $352,2722020 Arnold VenturesTO FUND A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL TO EVALUATE PROCEDURAL JUSTICE TRAINING AND "HOT SPOT" POLICING.
    $250,0002024 Arnold VenturesTO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF POLICE REFORMS IN NEW JERSEY, INCLUDING DE-ESCALATION TRAINING, PEER BYSTANDER INTERVENTION TRAINING, AND A CHANGE IN USE OF FORCE POLICY AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, ON OFFICER PERCEPTIONS AND BEHAVIOR.
    $139,6542020 Arnold VenturesTO CONDUCT RESEARCH ON POLICE BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
    $100,0002020 The Starbucks FoundationThriving Communities & Disaster Response
    $100,0002020 Motorola Solutions FoundationGeneral Operating Support
    $78,6212020 Arnold VenturesTO CREATE NONPARTISAN, DEMOCRATIC NORMS THAT DEFINE THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF POLICE AROUND ELECTION DAY.
    $75,0002022 Motorola Solutions FoundationGeneral Operating Support
    $75,0002021 Motorola Solutions FoundationGeneral Operating Support
    $50,0002020 Communities Foundation of TexasThis grant is designated for general support.
    $50,0002020 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $40,0002022 The Joyce FoundationGun Violence Prevention & Justice Reform
    $35,2162022 Arnold VenturesTO STUDY CRISIS RESPONSE WITHIN SMALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
    $32,5002023 Donor Advised Charitable Giving, Inc.PUBLIC, SOCIETAL BENEFIT
    $30,0002023 The Adam R Rose FoundationGENERAL
    $27,6802024 The Institute for Intergovernmental Research IncSERVE AS A MEMBER OF THE LETTAC NSP AND PROVIDE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE AND GUIDANCE
    $25,0002024 The Adam R Rose FoundationGENERAL
    $24,6272020 Arnold VenturesTO COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA REGARDING OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS FROM MAJOR CITY POLICE AGENCIES.
    $20,1742022 Arnold VenturesTO FUND A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL TO EVALUATE PROCEDURAL JUSTICE TRAINING AND "HOT SPOT" POLICING.

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $5,041,660
    • Number of Grants: 4
    • Number of Recipients: 4

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $5,000,0002022 Police Foundation's Third Decade Fund for Improving Public SafetyOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $13,9502022 Blue Star FamiliesOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $13,9502022 TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORSOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $13,7602022 The 200 Club of Somerset CountyOPERATIONAL SUPPORT

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    Contact Us

    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “About Us.” National Policing Institute. Accessed October 5, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/about-us/.
    2. “Police Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/520906599/202111379349307426/full.
    3. “2021 Annual Report.” National Police Foundation. Pg. 3. Published 2021. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NPF_2021AnnualReport_Feb2022.pdf.
    4. “Statement Regarding the Trial and Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin and the Murder of George Floyd.” National Police Foundation. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Statement-Regarding-the-Trial-of-Former-Minneapolis-Police-Officer-Derek-Chauvin-and-the-Murder-of-George-Floyd.pdf.
    5. Scott, MacKenzie. “Helping Any of Us Can Help Us All.” Medium. March 23, 2022. Accessed October 5, 2022. https://mackenzie-scott.medium.com/helping-any-of-us-can-help-us-all-f4c7487818d9.
    6. “National Policing Institute.” MacArthur Foundation. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/police-foundation-10098457/.
    7. “Urban Institute.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/520880375/201903199349304565/full.
    8. “National Police Foundation to Change Name to National Policing Institute.” National Policing Institute. March 4, 2022. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/press-releases/national-police-foundation-to-change-name-to-national-policing-institute/.
    9. [1] “Jim Burch.” National Policing Institute. Accessed October 5, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/staff/jim-burch/.
    10. Burch II, James H. “Policing Requires Science.” New York Times. January 13, 2019. Accessed via Web Archive October 5, 2022. https://archive.ph/WUs7Y.
    11. [1] “Police Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/520906599/202111379349307426/full.
    12. “City Chooses Consultant to Assist With Final Work on the Reimagine Policing Plan.” City of Boulder, Colorado. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://bouldercolorado.gov/news/city-chooses-consultant-assist-final-work-reimagine-policing-plan.
    13. “Events.” National Policing Institute. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/events/
    14. “Publications.” National Policing Institute. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/publications/.
    15. “A Letter from the President of the National Policing Institute.” National Policing Institute. Accessed October 5, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/presidents-page/.
    16. [1] “Neighborhood-Driven Policing Revisited.” National Policing Institute. August 2021. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/publication/neighborhood-driven-policing-revisited/.
    17. “5 Things You Need to Know about Private Militia Groups.” National Police Foundation. March 5, 2021. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/5-Things-Militias_final-2.pdf.
    18. Bueermann, Jim. “The Danger to Policing in Normalizing Extremism.” National Policing Institute. January 15, 2021. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/onpolicing/the-danger-to-policing-in-normalizing-extremism/.
    19. “About Us.” National Policing Institute. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/about-us/.
    20. “Council on Policing Reforms and Race.” National Policing Institute. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/national-council-on-policing-reforms-and-race/.
    21. “National Policing Institute Joins 30×30 Initiative as National Partner.” National Policing Institute. March 31, 2021. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/announcements/national-police-foundation-joins-30×30-initiative-as-national-partner/.
    22. “What is a Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC)?” Crime Gun Intelligence Centers. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://crimegunintelcenters.org/.
    23. “Rep. Demings’ Police Funding Legislation to Be Considered.” Office of Val Demings. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://demings.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-demings-police-funding-legislation-be-considered.
    24. “Rep. Demings Introduces Victim Act.” Office of Rep. Val Demings. October 28, 2021. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://demings.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-demings-introduces-victim-act.
    25. “Secure Donation.” National Policing Institute. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/?form=nationalpolicinginstitute.
    26. “Police Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Part III. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/520906599/202111379349307426/full.
    27. Weisburd, David, et. al. “Reforming the police through procedural justice training: A multicity randomized trial at crime hot spots.” National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information. Marchch28, 2022. Accessed October 9, 2022. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2118780119. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9168920/.
    28. “Understanding Crime Trends.” Police Chief Magazine. August 2022. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/Police_Chief-August_2022_WEB2.pdf.
    29. “2021 Annual Report.” National Police Foundation. Pg. 14. Published 2021. Accessed October 9, 2022. https://www.policinginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NPF_2021AnnualReport_Feb2022.pdf.
    30. “Communities Foundation of Texas.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/750964565/202003569349301065/full.