The Traffic Police Location and Schedule Assignment Problem

The traffic police routine patrol vehicle mission is to provide service to the public, primarily through enforcement of traffic laws and assistance to road users after accidents or other calls for service. An efficient traffic police location and schedule assignment (TPLSAP) across a road network ensures that the traffic police undertake their mission effectively. In the search for effective road network cover solutions, a multiple-objective linear program is developed in the first stage with three distinct objectives. The objective functions maximize the following: (1) traffic police presence and conspicuousness; (2) police presence at blackspots where frequent traffic offences occur; and (3) the time available for proactive work. In the second stage of the TPLSAP formulation, distance and time halo effect integer linear programs produce a detailed, daily shift schedule across the planning horizon. Consequently, we formulate a routine traffic police schedule–location and activity problem, which incorporates road safety recommendations drawn from the literature, police policy and operational constraints. Finally, we apply the formulation to a case study of the interurban road network in Northern Israel, which highlights potential improvements over the current schedules. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.