Application of analytic hierarchical processes method when creating and evaluating the forms of engagement of police units

Abstract

Among other things, operative researches include multi-criteria decision-making. In addition to multi-purpose, multi-criteria decision-making includes the field of multi-attributive decision-making. In order to carry out a procedure of multi-attributive decision-making, it is possible to use the method of analytic hierarchical processes (AHP). The scope of application of the AHP method is multi-criteria decision-making, where the most acceptable solutions are chosen based on a defined set of criteria and attribute values for each option, i.e. a complete order of options is presented according to their validity. The application of this method consists of four stages: (1) problem structuring, (2) collection of data and their measuring, (3) estimation of relative weights, and (4) determining a solution to the problem. Under the conditions of intensive use of information technology, the mentioned method is carried out using Expert Choice 2000 (EC 2000) software package. AHP method is suitable for decision-making within systems with well-defined hierarchical structure such as police. It is very important to point out accordingly that the main approach of AHP method and the developed software is such as to respects strictly the way of thinking of a decision-maker and at the same time to offer him support and help to organize and elaborate his opinion in order to achieve the best possible results on the basis of the available knowledge. Thank to this, the AHP method is fully compatible with the decision-making process within systems such as police. AHP method is linked with other scientific methods, particularly with research, statistics and modeling. The better the methods in the function of AHP method are applied, the better would be the results of its application. The alternatives that have been compared using the AHP method in this paper are the variants of engagement of police units and processes used to create and evaluate them. They differ in that one form includes the application of (acoustic and optic) non-lethal weapons, and the other one does not. The criteria used to evaluate (1) validity of creation of some variants have been derived by transformation and quantification of identified attributes, which manifest depending on prediction of application of non-lethal weapons. On the other hand, the criteria used to evaluate (2) acceptability of created variants have been derived by quantification of usual criteria of their evaluation (from the aspect of organizational sciences), such as: effectiveness, economy efficiency, minimization of time required for problem-solving and reliability. In addition to ranking according to (1) importance of criteria of comparison (so-called weighing), (2) validity of subject of comparison (various options, for instance processes, events, facilities, etc), the AHP method enables also to determine (3) intensity of influence of certain factors on the validity of alternatives in relation to the defined conditions. More specifically, it has resulted from the ongoing work that it is possible to determine optimization influence of non-lethal (acoustic and optical) weapons on creation of variants (stake-out) and on the results of that process.

Osnovni problem prilikom planiranja angažovanja policijskih jedinica predstavlja velika verovatnoća nastanka iznenađenja, koja proizilazi iz visokog nivoa rizika i neizvesnosti tokom konfliktnih situacija. Problemi angažovanja policijskih jedinica (među kojima je i neizvesnost) treba da budu rešeni uspešnim rukovođenjem. U tom pogledu postoji stav da se svi problemi rukovođenja, a posebno u domenu donošenja odluka, moraju rešavati primenom teorije odlučivanja. Osnovne pravce rešavanja problema rukovođenja, sa aspekta savremene teorije odlučivanja predstavlja primena: timskog metoda rada, komandno-informacionih sistema (KIS) i metoda kvantitativne analize. Među metodama kvantitativne analize posebno mesto zauzima metoda analitičkih hijerarhijskih procesa (AHP), koja se u savremenim uslovima primenjuje softverskim paketom Expert Choice 2000 (EC 2000).