Among the evidence-based security initiatives that have been implemented and evaluated in Latin America, the experiences of the Colombian cities of Medellin, Bogota and Cali stand out, where approaches such as hotspot policing, the use of video surveillance cameras and initiatives to prevent problematic alcohol consumption.

Doctor in Economics from the Brown University and research associate at the Universidad de los Andes, Daniel Mejia was the first Secretary of Security, Coexistence and Justice of Bogota, as well as Director of Policies and Strategies of the National Ministry of Justice of Colombia, and was responsible for the formulation of citizen security and criminal justice policies in that country, as well as for the design of instruments to evaluate their results.

Mejía is, therefore, a theorist and practitioner of evidence-based public security. In this interview, he tells us a little about his professional career, detailing his main achievements, the challenges he had to face, and the lessons he learned throughout his experience in public management. Above all, Mejía highlights the relevance of the production, evaluation, and use of scientific evidence to support decision-making processes involved in the design and implementation of public security and justice policies.