NCJ Number
11212
Date Published
1972
Length
130 pages
Annotation
AN ANALYTIC TOOL FOR STUDYING DEPLOYMENT AND DISPATCHING OF POLICE PATROL FORCES AT THE DISTRICT AND PRECINCT LEVELS.
Abstract
THE MODEL FOCUSES ON THE TWO MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF PATROL FORCES - PREVENTIVE PATROL AND RESPONSE TO CALLS FOR POLICE SERVICE. IT INCORPORATES THE SPECIFIC TRAVEL TIME CHARACTERISTICS AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CALLS FOR POLICE SERVICE WHICH OCCUR IN THE DISTRICT UNDER CONSIDERATION. OUTPUT OF THE MODEL INCLUDES - AVERAGE PATROL CAR RESPONSE TIME TO ALL INCIDENTS, EQUITY IN DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSE TIME WITHIN THE DISTRICT, WORKLOAD BALANCE AMONG PATROL UNITS, AND AVERAGE NUMBER OF DISPATCHES THAT REQUIRE EACH PATROL CAR TO LEAVE ITS OWN SECTOR. THE MODEL IS APPLIED TO THREE HYPOTHETICAL DISTRICTS AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF UTILIZING INCIDENT LOCATION INFORMATION IN THE DISPATCHING PROCESS IS ANALYZED. THE TRADE-OFFS IN RESPONSE TIME VS. INTERSECTOR DISPATCHING FOR A SIMPLE SYSTEM OF OVERLAPPING SECTORS ARE STUDIED. A CASE STUDY INVOLVING DISTRICT 14 OF THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ILLUSTRATES THE USE OF THE MODEL AS A DECISION AID IN PATROL SECTOR DESIGN. THE PRESENT CONFIGURATION IS COMPARED WITH ONE ALTERNATIVE PROPOSED BY POLICE PERSONNEL FROM DISTRICT 14 AND ONE ALTERNATIVE PROPOSED BY THE AUTHOR. MEASURES OF SYSTEM PERFORMANCE ARE CALCULATED FOR EACH DESIGN. POLICE PLANNERS WILL FIND THE SPATIALLY DISTRIBUTED QUEUING MODEL A HELPFUL AID IN CALCULATING MEASURES OF PERFORMANCE WHICH ARE USEFUL IN THE EVALUATION OF PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS. THE COMPUTER PROGRAM IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)