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Target Assignment for Security Officers to K Targets (TASK)

NCJ Number
92232
Author(s)
J R Rowland; K W Shelton; C B Stunkel
Date Published
1983
Length
56 pages
Annotation
A probabilistic algorithm is developed to provide an optimal Target Assignment for Security officers to K targets (TASK) using a maximum criterion.
Abstract
Under the assumption of only a limited number (N) of security officers, the TASK computer model determines deployment assignments which maximize the system protection against sabotage by an adversary who may select any link in the system, including the weakest, for the point of attack. Applying the TASK model to a hypothetical nuclear facility containing a nine-level building reveals that aggregate targets covering multiple vital areas should be utilized to reduce the number of possible target assignments to a value equal to or only slightly larger than N. The increased probability that a given aggregate target is covered by one or more security officers offsets the slight decrease in interruption probability due to its occurring earlier in the adversary's path. In brief, the TASK model determines the optimal maximum deployment strategy for limited numbers of security officers and calculates a quantitative measure of the resulting system protection. Illustrations and three references are provided. (Author abstract modified)

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