The constraints and factors were used to determine a suitable location for a new police station. Multi-criteria Evaluation (MCE) is a process for assessing and aggregating many criteria using a weighted linear combination. A pairwise comparison matrix using the Analytical Hierarchy Process was used to determine the importance of factors in choosing a suitable police location. Four Multi-criteria evaluations were performed for this locational analysis. The first MCE with the weighted linear combination was used based on the two constraints and twelve factors I had previously selected. Included in the twelve factors are the various types of crime such as assaults, offences, property, prostitution, and traffic accidents.
The pairwise comparison matrix table for the first MCE (MCE Result1) is shown below.
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assaulfuzz
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offenfuzz
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propfuzz
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prosfuzz | trafficfuzz | landfuzz | rdsfuzz | cpfuzz | policefuzz | populationdenfuzz | gvrd_2fuzz | incomeneighfuzz | |
| assaulfuzz | 1 | |||||||||||
| offenfuzz | 1/3 | 1 | ||||||||||
| propfuzz | 3 | 3 | 1 | |||||||||
| prosfuzz | 1/3 | 1 | 1/5 | 1 | ||||||||
| trafficfuzz | 1 | 1/3 | 1/3 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| landfuzz | 1/3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| rdsfuzz | 1 | 1 | 1/3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| cpfuzz | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| policefuzz | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| populationdenfuzz | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| gvrd_2fuzz | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1/3 | 1/3 | 1 | 1 | |
| incomeneighfuzz | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1/3 | 1 | 1 |
Click here to see pairwise comparison matrix tables for the three other Multi-criteria evaluations.
More weight is placed on the current community policing centres, police stations and property crime.
The MCE from the above weighted factors and constraints is shown below.
The darker areas of purple indicate the amount of property crime relative to other neighbourhoods. This area of concentration in Downtown is easily noticeable.
The RECLASS module was then used to reclassify the values for MCE Result 1 based on their suitability. The RECLASS module reclassifies new values to the data values in an image, making the image more useful. Five classes were used to classify suitability. Assigning a value of "5" to the MCE indicates the most suitable areas.
| Assign new values of | To all values from | To just less than |
| 0 | 0 | 55 |
| 1 | 55 | 80 |
| 2 | 80 | 110 |
| 3 | 110 | 140 |
| 4 | 140 | 160 |
| 5 | 160 | 99999 |
The most suitable location from the above image is located in the West End and Downtown area. Other more suitable areas are located in neighbourhoods such as Renfrew Collingwood, Kensington Cedar Cottage, Killarney, Fairview and parts of Marpole.
The MCE Result 2 image places emphasis on three factors which are existing community policing centres, police stations and total crime rates for each neighbourhood.
The darker area in the West End indicates suitability based on existing community policing centres, police stations and total crime rates for each neighbourhood.
The RECLASS module was then used to reclassify the values for MCE Result 2 based on their suitability.
| Assign new values of | To all values from | To just less than |
| 0 | 0 | 55 |
| 1 | 55 | 80 |
| 2 | 80 | 110 |
| 3 | 110 | 140 |
| 4 | 140 | 160 |
| 5 | 160 | 99999 |
The most suitable locations from the above image is located in the West End and parts of the Downtown area. There is also a small suitable area in the Killarney neighbourhood, located in the south east corner of the map. More suitability is placed on the outter neighbourhoods such as Arbutus Ridge, and Shaughnessy, indicating that these areas do not have a high crime rate compared to other neighbourhoods in Vancouver and they would not need a new police station.
The MCE Result 3 image places emphasis on two factors which are average household income and total crime rates for each neighbourhood.
Darker areas appear in the West End neighbourhood followed by the Downtwown area.
The RECLASS module was then used to reclassify the values for MCE Result 3 based on their suitability.
| Assign new values of | To all values from | To just less than |
| 0 | 0 | 60 |
| 1 | 60 | 85 |
| 2 | 85 | 110 |
| 3 | 110 | 140 |
| 4 | 140 | 180 |
| 5 | 180 | 99999 |
The majority of the most suitable location from the above image is located in the West End and parts of the Downtown area. Reclassifying the MCE identified more suitable locations than those locations of medium suitability. Again, the Shaughnessy neighbourhood has a lower suitability.
The MCE Result 4 image places empasis on total crime rates for each neighbourhood and population density.
Darker areas appear in the West end neigbourhood, due to its high population density and second to highest crime rates. The Fairview neighbourhood also has a higher range than the rest of the neighbourhood. Lighter areas appear in the neighbourhoods of Arbutus Ridge, Dunbar Southlands, Kerrisdale, West Point Grey and Oakridge.
The RECLASS module was then used to reclassify the values for MCE Result 4 based on their suitability.
| Assign new values of | To all values from | To just less than |
| 0 | 0 | 60 |
| 1 | 60 | 100 |
| 2 | 100 | 130 |
| 3 | 130 | 160 |
| 4 | 160 | 180 |
| 5 | 180 | 99999 |
The most suitable location from the above image is located in the West End. More suitability is identified in Downtown and parts of Fairview. Less suitability is seen around the boundaries of Vancouver, Shaughnessy and areas in Kerrisdale.
All four Multi-criteria evaluations displayed similar characteristics: a greater suitability in the West End area and the Central Business District (downtown).
