An Integer Programming Approach for Patrol Police Allocation in an Urban City in the Philippines

Objectives: Philippine National Police (PNP) directed all PNP units to deploy policemen to perform beat patrolling duties for maximum police visibility as well as to intensify law enforcement operations, anti-criminality campaign and public safety services. Beats or beat areas are the areas where policemen are assigned to patrol. In conducting patrols, the officers intermingle and work with the general populace. Due to the limited number of available policemen to be assigned in the beats, this paper aims to solve a Patrol Police Allocation Problem (PPAP) which consists of allocating policemen to beat areas to ensure optimum police visibility in the Central Business District (CBD) of Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. Methods: In this study, an integer programming model for the PPAP is developed and solved, while considering various characteristics of beat areas and the number of available of patrol police to be assigned. Findings: Results of the study show that the proposed model provides better police visibility than the current police allocation around the CBD of the city. Application: Results of this study will provide insights on how patrol police can be optimally allocated in various beat patrol areas.