For more than two decades, and with exceptional impact over the last ten years, Dr. Angela Eke has improved how police services in Ontario assess risk, protect vulnerable people, and manage complex offenders. She has served as the Research Coordinator with the Ontario Provincial Police Criminal Behaviour Analysis Section since 2002. As a researcher, she analyzes criminal behaviour, develops and evaluates risk tools, provides training and case consultations, and builds partnerships that prevent offending, improve offender management, and support victims. Her primary focus areas are intimate partner violence, coercive and controlling behaviours, and child sexual exploitation.
A hallmark achievement is her co development of the Child Pornography Offender Risk Tool (CPORT), an actuarial tool that is validated in several countries and used by law enforcement agencies. CPORT is deliberately kept freely accessible to support consistent investigative practices. Its validation and implementation have improved triage and risk assessment processes across the province, strengthening public safety and supporting investigators in high risk cases involving child sexual exploitation.
Dr. Eke’s leadership in the CELIA Intimate Partner Violence Project has advanced policing practice in recognizing coercive control and will implement culturally responsive risk assessment approaches in collaboration with Indigenous partners and victim support agencies. This work spans partnerships with police services across Canada, universities, the Barrie Native Friendship Centre, and the Chiefs of Ontario— the organization that supports joint decisions and advocacy for 133 First Nations in Ontario.
In 2023, Dr. Eke helped secure a victim support grant with the Barrie Native Friendship Centre, the Chiefs of Ontario, and the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care to develop a culturally responsive approach to intimate partner violence risk assessment and coercive control. The grant funded a knowledge exchange event, which included a presentation from the Chiefs of Ontario on their Indigenous focused intimate partner violence risk tool. These collaborations have strengthened community trust, improved safety planning, and supported more consistent responses across jurisdictions, resulting in safer outcomes for victims.
Dr. Eke’s sector leadership includes service on the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police Intimate Partner Violence Subcommittee and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Psychological Services Subcommittee. Her partnerships extend to probation and parole services, public safety agencies, Crown counsel, universities, and colleges. Clinical and research partners include the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, and the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. Internationally, she has collaborated with partners in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Across her OPP career, project collaborations have secured $600,000 in grant funding to improve offender management, reduce recidivism, and enhance public safety.
Beyond her research and operational contributions, Dr. Eke develops future leaders and advances evidence based policing. Within the last ten years, she has supervised 23 students from 11 academic institutions, Canadian and international, with three going on to professional roles with the OPP. Her scholarly record includes 16 peer reviewed journal publications, three textbook chapters, and more than 100 journal reviews, ensuring that Ontario policing benefits from current behavioural science.
Dr. Eke demonstrates professional integrity, respect, and accountability as a leader with strong ethical standards. She has served on two Research Ethics Boards: the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care and the National Behavioural Sciences Research Advisory Committee and Ethics Board. As Chair of the Investigation and Support Bureau Research Working Group, she ensures that members complete the Tri Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2: CORE 2022) course and obtain certification.
Dr. Angela Eke’s sustained and province wide impact exemplifies the purpose of the Police Hero Honour Roll Award. Her work integrates rigorous research with real world operational needs, directly influencing police investigations, offender management, and victim protection across Ontario. Collectively, her operational, academic, community focused, and ethical contributions reflect a decade long, Canada wide impact that aligns with the award criteria.
