Growing Use of Private Security

GROWING USE OF PRIVATE SECURITY

Businesses, homeowners and communities around the world are increasingly relying on private security rather than tax-supported police. Observers say the growth in private security is a reaction to the failure of government to cope with rising crime.Currently, many police departments have focused their attention and resources on innovative community or neighborhood policing programs. These programs have achieved some success. However, the nature of these programs requires the police to spend significant work hours on matters which are not traditionally associated with "law enforcement." The inevitable result of these programs will be an increase in the costs associated with law enforcement services. This is so because the police are taking on a broader mission by attempting to deal with the root "causes" of crime. Clearly, this enhanced mission requires significant time and service commitments. Given budgetary constraints, how long can government afford widespread implementation of "community policing?" The next logical question is, if the police do not provide these services, who will? The answer in large part is private security. This assertion is echoed by Bruce Benson in his insightful book entitled, The Enterprise of Law. He cites Lawrence Sherman, who states "few developments are more indicative of public concern about crime, and the declining faith in the ability of public institutions to cope with it, than the burgeoning growth of private policing.rather than approving funds for more police, the voters have turned to volunteer and paid private watchers."

Private security is now the primary protective resource, out-spending public law enforcement by 73 percent and employing 2-1/2 times the workforce (Cunningham, et. al., N.I.J., August 1991). The N.I.J. study notes that annual spending for private security is $52 billion, employing 1.5 million persons. In contrast, public law enforcement spends $30 billion, with a workforce of approximately 600,000 (N.I.J., August 1991). These figures are based on the already dated Hallcrest II Report. The current statistics may be closer to a three-to-one ratio of security to law enforcement personnel. This role is likely to increase as governmental budgets tighten.

Understanding the trend favoring an increased role of private security is only part of the question. The advent of B.I.D.'s occurred in the late 1980s, when many sought to revitalize the declining and aging urban central cities. The goal was to improve public safety and to clean or improve the conditions within the area. In order to accomplish these goals, it was necessary to create a revenue source. As such, B.I.D.'s were authorized by local or state legislation, which granted limited taxing power within a specified geographic areas. The tax is imposed on all property owners within the area, thereby creating a pool of revenue to be used for a common purpose. The uniqueness of this taxing authority, however, is that all (100 percent) of the revenue goes from the taxing authority directly to the management company or the non-profit corporation designated to administrate the B.I.D. program. The result is the area obtains the benefit of increased resources, without any particular company or property owner having to bear a substantial financial burden.

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