An Algorithm for Deploying a Crime Directed Tactical Patrol Force

This paper presents an algorithm for deploying a crime directed patrol force. The optimization problem is formulated as the allocation of N patrol among R high crime regions so as to maximize the weighted probability of a patrol intercept of a crime. The algorithm has full sensitivity analysis capabilities. This capability is critical because the model's input parameters include 1 crime weights, which in general will have a subjective component, 2 crime descriptive data, which are difficult to estimate, and 3 crime frequency data, which are likely to change with time. The paper presents an illustrative application of the algorithm. The resultant allocation is compared to a strategy which allocates patrol units in direct proportion to each region's total crime rate. The optimal allocation significantly increased the probability of an intercept.