NCJ Number
14485
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1974) Pages: 190-207
Date Published
1974
Length
18 pages
Annotation
COMPUTER SIMULATION ALLOWS THE STUDY OF MAXIMUM VARIABLE MANIPULATION EFFECTS WITH NO DISRUPTION OF NORMAL PATROL ACTIVITIES.
Abstract
SEVERAL VARIABLES WERE TESTED IN THIS STUDY OF PATROL PROCEDURES IN THIS SEMI-RURAL ONTARIO TOWNSHIP WITH A POPULATION OF 45,000. CALLS CAN BE ANSWERED ON A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED BASIS OR ON A CLOSEST WAITING CALL BASIS. CARS CAN BE DEPOLOYED ON STRICT ZONE SYSTEM, IN WHICH A CAR CAN NEVER LEAVE ITS ASSIGNED ZONE, OR ON A TOWNSHIP BASIS IN WHICH A CAR CAN ANSWER CALLS IN AN ADJACENT ZONE IF THAT ZONE'S CAR IS ALREADY BUSY. VARIABLES THAT CAN BE MANIPULATED INCLUDE NUMBER OF CALLS AND NUMBER OF CARS. UTILIZING THE NORMALIZED CALL DENSITY PARAMETER (THE PERCENTAGE OF THE TOWNSHIP'S CALLS FOR SERVICE RECEIVED BY AN ATOM OR ARTIFICAL SUBDIVISION), THE AUTHORS WERE ABLE TO SUGGEST THE MOST EFFICIENT DEPLOYMENT STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENT TIMES AND SITUATIONS. THE AUTHORS ALSO SUGGEST THAT MANY OF THEIR CONCLUSIONS COULD HAVE BEEN REACHED WITHOUT THE AID OF A COMPUTER, BUT THEY STATE THAT THE COMPUTER-PLOTTED MAPS WERE A GREAT CONVENIENCE.