Demonstrations on how to institutionalize research and scientific processes into daily policing vary widely. However, each demonstration is guided by three principles:

1. Projects focus on institutionalizing research and analytic processes into the regular practice of policing through a more permanent change in infrastructure or operations. The MDP demonstrations are not ad-hoc deployments or stand-alone evaluations, but demonstrations and examples which show how the processes or outputs of research might be more permanently institutionalized.

2. Each project is anchored by good quality research evidence on police practices. Research anchors can be of many different types, including studies on police interventions, officer discretion, departmental practices and policies, use of force, or other internal or external issues that law enforcement agencies face. Further, the visibility of the research application in each demonstration may vary. Institutionalization of research use may require the research component to be less obvious.

3. Each agency or organization will work with the GMU team to develop a tool or usable example from their demonstration which will be freely available for use by others in the field here at the MDP website. This product could include a standard operating procedure, a newly designed report or case form, a different process used in COMPSTAT meetings, a new training module incorporated into academies, a re-written guide for field training that incorporates research aspects, or a demonstration of the use of the Matrix or other research resources.

Demonstration sites are selected based on a strong commitment to the project and regular interactions with the Matrix team. For more information on how to become a demonstration site please contact the project PIs, Cynthia Lum (clum@gmu.edu) or Christopher Koper (ckoper2@gmu.edu).

Video training on the Evidence-Based Policing Matrix
Video introduction into the Matrix Demonstration Project