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Rylan Simpson

Assistant Professor
School of Criminology
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

BIOGRAPHY

Rylan Simpson, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University. He received his Ph.D. in Criminology, Law and Society from the University of California, Irvine. As a court-recognized expert in policing, Simpson conducts research related to public perceptions of police, police organizations, and police effectiveness. He approaches his research using a variety of different methodologies, including advanced experimental and quantitative analyses. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his policing scholarship and engagement with policing officials. He is also the Vice Chair for the American Society of Criminology’s Division of Experimental Criminology, a Fellow of the Academy of Experimental Criminology, a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s Research Advisory Committee, a member of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police’s Research Advisory Committee, and a former mentor for the Canadian Society of Evidence-Based Policing’s Virtual Scholar Program. Motivated by frontline experiences, Simpson has participated in more than 1,500 hours of ride-alongs with police agencies from around the world, including in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

AREAS OF INTEREST

Policing; perceptions of police; police organizations; legitimacy; public policy; experimental criminology; theories of crime; social psychology.

EDUCATION

  • BA (UBC)
  • MA, PhD (UCI)

NOTE FOR POTENTIAL GRADUATE STUDENTS:

Not accepting new graduate students in the 2025/2026 academic year.

Selected Publications

  • Simpson, R., & Grossman, L. (2024). Patrol officer activity by single- versus double-crewed status: The call-related output of one-officer and two-officer patrol units. Journal of Criminal Justice, 94, 102248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2024.102248
  • Simpson, R., & Nix, J. (2024). Police shootings in Canada: An empirical analysis and call for data. Crime & Delinquency. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287231226182
  • Simpson, R. (2023). Police recruitment videos and their relevance for attracting officers. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 17, paac057. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paac057
  • Simpson, R., Frewing, Q., & Tiwana, S. (2023). A field test of police vehicle presence on speed(ing): Parked, unoccupied, and effective. Crime & Delinquency. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287231207368
  • Simpson, R., Tumilowicz, V., Charman, M., & Johnston, R. (2023). Public perceptions of, and preferences toward, police vehicle designs: A mixed-method test of a theoretical question. Journal of Criminal Justice, 89, 102119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2023.102119
  • Simpson, R., & Bell, N. (2022). Unpacking the police patrol shift: Observations and complications of “electronically” riding along with police. Crime Science, 11, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40163-022-00178-9
  • Simpson, R., & Sandrin, R. (2022). The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by police during a public health crisis: An experimental test of public perception. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 18(2), 297-319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-020-09451-w
  • Simpson, R. (2021). Calling the police: Dispatchers as important interpreters and manufacturers of calls for service data. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 15(2), 1537-1545. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paaa040
  • Simpson, R., & Orosco, C. (2021). Re-assessing measurement error in police calls for service: Classifications of events by dispatchers and officers. PLoS ONE, 16(12), e0260365. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260365
  • Simpson, R. (2020). Officer appearance and perceptions of police: Accoutrements as signals of intent. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 14(1), 243-257. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/pay015
  • Simpson, R., McCutcheon, M., & Lal, D. (2020). Reducing speeding via inanimate police presence: An evaluation of a police-directed field study regarding motorist behavior. Criminology & Public Policy, 19(3), 997-1018. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12513
  • Simpson, R. (2017). The Police Officer Perception Project (POPP): An experimental evaluation of factors that impact perceptions of the police. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 13(3), 393-415. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-017-9292-4

Selected Awards and Grants

  • Award: Outstanding Early Career Experimental Criminologist Award
  • Award: Outstanding Collective Body of Research Award
  • Award: Cormack Teaching Award
  • Grant: “The Use of Helicopter Units in Frontline Policing”
  • Grant: “An Empirical Exploration of Police Organizations in the United States”

Professional Development

  • Vice Chair: Division of Experimental Criminology, American Society of Criminology
  • Member: Research Advisory Committee, International Association of Chiefs of Police
  • Member: Research Advisory Committee, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
  • Research Delegate: Emergency Communications Center Operations and Research Workgroups, Transform 911 Initiative
  • Expert Witness: Superior Court of Quebec

Recently Taught Courses

  • CRIM 220: Research Methods in Criminology
  • CRIM 251: Introduction to Policing
  • CRIM 418: Experiments in Policing
  • CRIM 458: Community Policing
  • CRIM 813: Policing

Courses

Future courses may be subject to change.

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