Print ISSN: 390-3837 / electronic ISSN: 1390-8634, UPS-Ecuador, No. 39, September 2023-February 2024, pp. 57-78. https://doi.org/10.17163/uni.n39.2023.03 Hierarchical governance and the failure of citizen security policies in Metropolitan District of Quito: an analysis from policy design Gobernanza jerárquica y la falla de las políticas de seguridad ciudadana en el Distrito Metropolitano de Quito: un análisis desde el diseño de políticas Katia Barros-Esquivel FLACSO, Ecuador kapbarrosf@facso.edu.ec https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1576-9360 Daniel Castañeda-Fraga FLACSO, Ecuador dscastanedaf@facso.edu.ec https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2388-3742 Pamela Chávez-Calapaqui FLACSO, Ecuador pschavezf@facso.edu.ec https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2051-6349 Mayra Chicaiza-Flores FLACSO, Ecuador machicaizaf@facso.edu.ec https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2224-5020 Received on: 11/01/2023 Revised on: 26/02/2023 Approved on: 15/04/2023 Published on: 01/09/2023 Suggested citation: Barros-Esquivel, K., Castañeda-Fraga, D., Chávez-Calapaqui, P. and Chicaiza- Flores, M. (2023). Hierarchical governance and the failure of citizen security policies in Metropolitan District of Quito: an analysis from poli- cy design. Universitas XX1, 39, pp. 57-78. https://doi.org/10.17163/uni. n39.2023.03