¡Hola! Hallo! Hi!

I am a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the International Relations and National Security Studies Program at the University of Central Florida (UCF) with an interest in public perception of law enforcement and militarization of police.

My research focuses on the effects individuals’ cognitive style and ability have on forming opinions on police. I study this topic in the light of militarization of law enforcement in Latin America, which can be understood as (a) training police to a military standard, (b) assigning police tasks to the military, or both.

My Approach

To study the matter, I analyze public opinion surveys and other large datasets and conduct field as well as archival work to explain the present state of militarization of law enforcement and civilians’ response to it. I am currently involved in a project to compile a global dataset on police militarization dating from 1946 to today (see current research).

My primary focus is on Central America where crime, together with the economy and corruption, is consistently nominated as the greatest problem cross-regionally. My research contributes to theoretical debates and informs decision makers on citizen security-related issues.