Evaluating urban security systems for sustainable cities through a hybrid intuitionistic fuzzy decision framework

The rapid deployment of smart city technologies presents a complex challenge for urban decision-makers: how to enhance urban security while maintaining citizen trust and social sustainability. While technical reliability is crucial, neglecting social acceptance and ethical concerns can lead to the failure of public security initiatives. In this study, a decision-making framework to evaluate smart urban security systems through an environmental and socio-technical lens is proposed. We introduce a novel hybrid methodology combining Intuitionistic Fuzzy Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (IF-SWARA) and Intuitionistic Fuzzy COmprehensive Distance-based RAnking (IF-COBRA) to capture the uncertainty in expert decisions. Thirteen criteria, ranging from cybersecurity threats to citizen acceptance, were established to assess five distinct security alternatives. The results indicate that while reliability remains the primary concern for experts, citizen acceptance and cybersecurity emerge as critical determinants for sustainable implementation. Among the alternatives, Sensor-Based Early Warning Systems were identified as the most balanced solution, offering high scalability with minimal social friction, whereas Drone-based Surveillance faced challenges regarding cost and public perception. This research provides governments and policymakers with a robust, expert-driven tool for selecting security technologies that align with the broader goals of sustainable, socially acceptable, and safe urban development.