About Us

Founded in 1979 by the late Lord Harris of Greenwich, the Police Foundation has been highly successful in influencing policing policy and practice, through research, policy analysis and training and consultancy.

The Foundation places great store in its use of high quality evidence in providing a strictly impartial voice on contemporary policing issues. Over the years it has hosted three independent inquiries, which led to important changes in legislation, policy and practice, including the introduction of Community Support Officers and the reclassification of cannabis in 2004. It produces the world’s most successful police driver training manuals, provides a safe place for debates on important and sometimes sensitive policing issues and contributes regularly to Parliamentary committees and news programmes.

Policing has never been changing as fast and as much as it is today. There are more police officers now than ever before, with more powers than ever before and until recently, spending more money than ever before. While public demands for better policing continue to rise and the government pushes through a major police reform programme, the police find themselves striving to deal with new threats posed by terrorism and transnational organised crime while working within tighter budgets imposed by the recession.

All this makes the existence of an independent body that uses high quality evidence to deliver an impartial voice on contemporary policing issues more important than ever. 

           Annual Report and Accounts