Patrol allocation methodology for police departments. Prepared for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

This report reviews mathematical models developed to assist police departments in allocating patrol resources. Models are described and compared, but not discussed in detail; instead, the reader is directed to appropriate source documents for each model. Issues discussed include: (1) determining the number of patrol cars to have on duty by geography and time of day, (2) designing patrol beats, (3) developing policy for dispatching and redeployment of patrol cars, and (4) scheduling manpower to match the variations in the number of cars needed on duty.