The National Policing Institute Announces New Board of Directors and Chair

JULY 1, 2025—Arlington, Virginia—Starting July 1, the National Policing Institute’s Board of Directors will be headed by a new chairman, Laurie O. Robinson, and vice chair and former chief of the Alexandria Police Department, Michael Brown.

Robinson’s experience in the criminal justice field is extensive, spanning academia, the federal government, and private institutions. In 2014 to 2015, she co-chaired the White House Task Force on 21st Century Policing, a team charged with developing recommendations to build greater trust between law enforcement and citizens.

“From my earliest days working in criminal justice, I vividly remember the Police Foundation’s landmark contributions to the field under its first president, Patrick Murphy, whom I so admired and was later privileged to know well,” stated Robinson. “His leadership vision of embedding lessons from research results into on-the-street policing was instrumental in shaping the Foundation’s work going forward.”

Additionally, Robinson twice served as a Senate-confirmed, presidentially appointed Assistant Attorney General heading the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, the DOJ’s research, statistics, and criminal justice assistance agency.

“During the decade I headed the Office of Justice Programs—the U.S. Department of Justice research and grants agency—my highest priority was working to close the gap between research results, on the one hand, and criminal justice practice and policy, on the other.  The National Policing Institute has played a crucial role in driving change in this critical area,” commented Robinson. “I am proud and honored to become NPI’s Board of Directors Chairman.”

NPI’s new vice chair, Michael Brown, brings nearly 46 years of public service, having led major agencies like the California Highway Patrol as commissioner and the Alexandria Police Department as chief. His career includes national leadership roles at NHTSA, extensive policy work, academic contributions, and numerous honors recognizing his impact on public safety and policing nationwide.

In total, twenty law enforcement professionals, government leaders, and academics make up NPI’s board. This group will offer the organization guidance that will shape its future and impact the noble profession of policing.

Learn more about this prestigious board at policinginstitute.org/board-of-directors.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL POLICING INSTITUTE

Established in 1970, the National Policing Institute (NPI), formerly the National Police Foundation, is a trusted, nonpartisan, independent research organization dedicated to helping law enforcement agencies solve complex challenges through practical and proven solutions. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, NPI is leading the way in translating research into actionable insights and offering hands-on support to agencies nationwide. For more information about NPI, visit policinginstitute.org.