Colombia’s national police chief on Monday was inducted into the U.S. George Mason University hall of fame for evidence-based policing.
Police Director Jose Roberto Leon was awarded the honor on Monday by the university.
The prize is given annually by the George Mason University’s Center for Evidence Based Policing and is dedicated to recognizing the work of uniformed policemen who work with innovative police strategies to lower crime rates.
The award is considered among the most significant in criminology worldwide, and has never before gone to a Latin American police director.
Leon was transferred in March to Colombia’s second city, Medellin, in order to head an operation confronting increased crime, an operation which President Juan Manuel Santos recently hailed as “a success.”
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