MODELS FOR ALLOCATING POLICE PREVENTIVE PATROL EFFORT

• NCJ Number: 31693
• Journal: OPERATIONAL RESEARCH QUARTERLY Volume: 26 Issue: 4 Dated: (1975) Pages: 703-715
• Author(s): D G OLSON; G P WRIGHT
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: Pergamon Press Limited
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: REPRINT

Annotation

A MARKOVIAN DECISION MODEL IS ADAPTED TO THE POLICE PATROL PROBLEM IN A MANNER THAT AVOIDS THE SCHEDULING PROBLEMS OF THE SEARCH MODEL AND MAKES AN OPTIMUM EFFORT ALLOCATION WHILE YIELDING A RANDOM PATROL SCHEDULE.

Abstract

THIS PAPER DEVELOPS MODELS THAT MAXIMIZE THE EXPECTED NUMBER OF OCCASIONS PER UNIT OF TIME THAT A POLICE PATROL UNIT ENTERS A STREET SEGMENT DURING THE TIME THAT A CRIME IS VISIBLE. CONSTRAINTS ARE ADDED THAT INSURE A MINIMUM PATROL COVERAGE TO ALL STREETS. THE SUCCESSIVE VISITS FROM STREET-TO-STREET FORM A MARKOV CHAIN. THE SOLUTION THAT MAXIMIZES THE OBJECTIVE FUNCTION GIVES A STOCHASTIC DECISION RULE WHICH IS USED WITH MONTE CARLO TECHNIQUES TO GENERATE A RANDOM PATROL SCHEDULE. THE PROBLEM IS POSED WITH ONE CAR AND SEVERAL CARS PATROLLING THE SAME REGION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)