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Non-profit

Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)

Website:

www.policeforum.org/
Location:

Washington, DC
Tax ID:

52-1101422
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $5,899,545
Expenses: $6,164,979
Assets: $12,688,114
Executive Director:

Chuck Wexler

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The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is a left-of-center organization that produces research reports and opinion pieces on the state of policing in the United States. 1 PERF was created in 1976 to advocate for the reduction of the use of force in policing and develop community policing and other policing methods that seek to address core community problems. 2

Finances

In 2019, Police Executive Research Forum reported $4,931,830 in contributions, 3 $4,517,133 in revenue from program services, 4 and $9,568,129 in total revenue. 5 The organization made $9,062,699 in expenditures 6 and possessed $4,331,772 in net assets. 7

Advocacy

Excessive Use of Force Audits

Police Executive Research Forum advocates for de-escalation training, which limits use of force by police officers and at other times constrains police officers in their ability to enforce the law. 8 PERF audited the Paterson, New Jersey Police Department for excessive use of force based on records from 2018 through 2020 and claimed to have found that the department does potentially engage in a high frequency of excessive force use. 9 The audit highlighted that 56.8 percent of victims of excessive use of force were African Americans. 10 PERF received $167,000 from the Paterson Police Department to conduct the audit. 11

Reducing Police Access to Lethal Weapons

PERF has advocated for limiting police department access to lethal weapons, including in crowd control and protest settings, where it has advocated for limiting crowd control to using tear-gas and bean-bag guns. 12

PERF has also called for federal research into the practicability of limiting police access to lethal weapons in crowd control settings, such as recommending that National Institute of Justice, the research arm of the Department of Justice (DOJ), conduct a thorough study into the matter. 13

De-Escalation Training

After the police-involved death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, PERF began providing nationwide training to police departments across the country on how to de-escalate sensitive situations, with the objective of conducting training sessions at as many of the 18,000 police departments across the country as possible. 14

One of the more controversial theories taught by PERF is Integrating Communications Assessment and Tactics (ICAT), a theory that rejects standard police operating procedure to respond to aggression. 15 PERF advocates for the use of ICAT in nearly all situations where the assailant does not have a gun. 16

Leadership

Chuck Wexler is the executive director of PERF. 17 Prior to joining PERF, Wexler held positions in the Boston Police Department, including operations assistant to the City of Boston Police Commissioner. 18

References

  1. “About us” Police Executive Research Forum. https://www.policeforum.org/about-us
  2. “About us” Police Executive Research Forum. https://www.policeforum.org/about-us
  3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). PERF. Part I. Line 8. 2019.
  4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). PERF. Part I. Line 9. 2019.
  5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). PERF. Part I. Line 12. 2019.
  6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). PERF. Part I. Line 18. 2019.
  7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). PERF. Part I. Line 22. 2019.
  8. Lampe, Joanna R. “Congress and Police Reform: Current Law and Recent Proposals” Congressional Research Service. June 25, 2020. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10486
  9.  Malinconico, Joe. “Police audit says Paterson needs more analysis of cops’ use of force” March 16, 2022. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/paterson-press/2022/03/16/paterson-nj-police-audit-use-force/7060022001/
  10. Malinconico, Joe. “Police audit says Paterson needs more analysis of cops’ use of force” March 16, 2022. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/paterson-press/2022/03/16/paterson-nj-police-audit-use-force/7060022001/
  11. Malinconico, Joe. “Police audit says Paterson needs more analysis of cops’ use of force” March 16, 2022. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/paterson-press/2022/03/16/paterson-nj-police-audit-use-force/7060022001/
  12. Balsamo, Michael. “Report: Feds should create guidelines on less-lethal weapons” AP News. February 25, 2022. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/business-police-george-floyd-gun-politics-only-on-ap-f08ee60d35f32d832f6c5dd3f9469216
  13. Balsamo, Michael. “Report: Feds should create guidelines on less-lethal weapons” AP News. February 25, 2022. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/business-police-george-floyd-gun-politics-only-on-ap-f08ee60d35f32d832f6c5dd3f9469216
  14. Sharp, David. “US police departments clamoring for de-escalation training” ABC News. September 25, 2021. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/us-police-departments-clamoring-de-escalation-training-80225524
  15. Jackman, Tom. “Amid rising police violence, New York City police to train entire force in de-escalation” The Washington Post. June 23, 2021. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/23/new-york-police-deescalate/
  16. Jackman, Tom. “Amid rising police violence, New York City police to train entire force in de-escalation” The Washington Post. June 23, 2021. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/23/new-york-police-deescalate/
  17. “Chuck Wexler” PERF. https://www.policeforum.org/chuck-wexler
  18. “Chuck Wexler” PERF. https://www.policeforum.org/chuck-wexler
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: March 1, 1978

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form 990 $5,899,545 $6,164,979 $12,688,114 $8,524,435 N $4,832,033 $1,002,481 $55,254 $771,774
    2019 Dec Form 990 $9,568,129 $9,062,699 $9,874,980 $5,543,208 N $4,931,830 $4,517,133 $87,464 $753,652 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $8,637,778 $8,281,701 $9,954,588 $6,253,607 Y $4,320,338 $4,246,026 $62,589 $717,111 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $8,548,756 $8,080,762 $10,753,997 $7,273,228 N $4,536,473 $3,873,297 $52,398 $700,913 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $7,913,596 $7,646,228 $10,874,045 $7,876,171 N $4,298,265 $3,622,445 $38,165 $668,276 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $7,441,521 $7,205,033 $7,318,336 $4,676,459 N $4,577,930 $2,818,996 $24,130 $679,404 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $6,914,807 $6,707,621 $6,270,022 $3,805,348 N $3,861,332 $2,968,655 $70,102 $614,672 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $6,178,462 $6,158,267 $4,187,764 $1,873,319 N $3,358,264 $2,771,686 $38,370 $574,371 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $5,849,249 $5,776,665 $4,446,663 $2,171,444 N $2,889,841 $2,899,960 $38,248 $517,895 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $6,123,808 $6,044,522 $4,185,693 $2,025,507 N $3,409,531 $2,678,439 $29,745 $523,543 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)

    1120 CONNECTICUT AVE NW STE 930
    Washington, DC 20036-3951