Understanding & Using the Evidence-Based Policing Matrix

Christian R. Peterson serves as the Police Data Research Manager at the Portland Police Bureau and has over a decade of experience in big data analytics, specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In that role, he oversees vital data and analysis programs, including gun violence data reporting, community engagement programs, and Smart Policing Initiatives, which have led to several recognitions from his agency. Mr. Peterson earned both his BS and master's degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Portland State University and is a National Institute of Justice Law Enforcement Advancing Data Science (LEADS) Scholar. 

Dr. Christopher S. Koper is a Professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason University and the Principal Fellow of George Mason’s Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy.  Dr. Koper has more than 30 years of experience studying crime and justice issues at George Mason, the Police Executive Research Forum, the University of Pennsylvania, the Urban Institute, the RAND Corporation, the Police Foundation, and other organizations.  He has written extensively on issues related to policing, firearms, federal crime prevention efforts, research methods, and other topics.  Dr. Koper has served as a lead or senior-level investigator on numerous projects for the U.S. Department of Justice and other funders, and as a consultant to the attorney generals and city attorneys of several states and localities. Some of his most prominent works include: studies of the 1994 federal assault weapons ban; the Evidence-Based Policing Matrix tool for policy translation of research on police crime control strategies (http://cebcp.org/evidence-based-policing/the-matrix/); and the “Koper curve” principle of hot spots patrol, which is used by many police agencies in the United States and abroad. Dr. Koper is a fellow of the Academy of Experimental Criminology, the former co-editor of Criminology & Public Policy (the policy research journal of the American Society of Criminology), co-author of the award-winning book, Evidence-Based Policing: Translating Research into Practice, and a recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Division of Policing of the American Society of Criminology. In 2023, he received George Mason University’s Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence in Social Impact.  

Gabrielle O'Keefe is a Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, where she contributes to various research projects and initiatives. Her work includes examining the influence of pretrial conditions, changes in crime rates post-COVID, and differences in violent crime trends between PSN and non-PSN cities. O'Keefe's research is part of a broader effort to understand and improve the well-being of police officers through Officer Wellness Centers.