Welcome to the PFI Website

The purpose of the Society of Police Futurists International (PFI) is to foster excellence in policing by promoting and applying futurist research methodologies.

Welcome to the PFI community! Whether you’re a first time visitor to this site or a long-standing member, I encourage you to browse our links and visit often to check for new resources and updated notices.

PFI is a virtual organization. Members include active and retired law enforcement officers, civilian policing professionals, educators and other members of the academic community, students of criminal justice and futures studies, and other governmental and private sector security experts from around the world.

Membership in PFI allows access to a vigorous listserv where issues of emerging interest are discussed and debated from a variety of viewpoints. Access to the members’ login also provides resources for practitioners and academics working in criminal justice, from links to futures research and papers to affiliate sites and other members. 

PFI collaborates with the FBI through the Futures Working Group (FWG), whose purpose is to develop and encourage others to develop forecasts and strategies to ethically maximize the effectiveness of law enforcement bodies at all levels. Most FWG publications are shared with members at the point of publication; others are available for download on this site. FWG deals with a myriad of topics, from police leadership to cybercrime and futurist perspectives. Check the member login to see what they’re up to.   

As police futurists, we share common interests in visioning and creating the policing of tomorrow. The Board of Directors encourages all members to make a difference. Seek out local opportunities to promote the goals of PFI, share knowledge, and foster a futurist approach.

We also welcome member involvement, seasoned and new, in many other activities that make PFI a thriving endeavor. Being a non-profit organization, we depend on voluntary support and encourage members to contribute to our growth through discussions, collaborations, and by volunteering for Committee or Board vacancies.

The Board also strives to keep this website dynamic in content. Additional resources, links, book descriptions and other items of interest to policing and futures studies are always welcome. Please feel free to e-mail me with your suggestions.

What’s new for members

This year’s Annual General Meeting was held on July 26th in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the World Future Society Conference.  The meeting was well attended, discussion was lively and engaging, and the strategic mapping workshop solicited excellent participation. 

It was truly a pleasure to welcome the new Board for the 2008-09 year, and to meet so many members and interested visitors in person. Details about the year in review and initiatives planned for the coming months can be found in the minutes and notes filed in the ‘members only’ area.