Private Policing Initiatives
Those desiring innovation often examine the
relationship between budgetary constraints and service provisions.
If financial limitations cannot be resolved through management and
organizational methods, it may be desirable to assess the types and
levels of services provided by your organization:
- Can some services
be contracted out, or performed by civilians?
- Can you simply decide
not to perform certain services?
These questions go to many political, social,
financial, legal, and organizational interests. It is often too simplistic to ask for
more money or to stop providing certain services. This reality
leaves the public safety executive, or the college or municipal official,
with the unenviable task of constantly balancing budgets with service
functions and levels.
The threat of terrorism and violent crime
has further challenged public safety budgets. With security firms at three times the level
of personnel and revenues compared to police agencies, the development
of public-private policing is inevitable. Added to this dynamic is
the reduction or even elimination of community policing monies. Consequently,
public safety agencies are faced with difficult budgetary decisions—often
with fewer personnel—to handle the rising threat of violence.
One solution is to innovate, using alternative
service providers to perform basic services, including order maintenance. This
trend was developed and articulated in a ground breaking book entitled: The
Privatization of Police in America.
The logic of alternative or supplemental
service providers is illustrated by the concept of "para-police." Para-police is another
name for private police officers. Many public safety agencies use
auxiliary police officers, who are part-time sworn police officers.
Some also use reserve police officers, who are hired on an "as
needed" basis, with limited police powers. These officers are
typically called to duty for special details or events. In
contrast to auxiliary and reserve officers, private policing is a
relatively new and growing phenomenon.
There are several key distinctions between these options. Briefly,
the distinctions relate to the level of police powers associated
with the officer, the training levels required for each officer,
the funding sources for the service provision, and the contractual
and liability exposures related to each supplemental arrangement.
Each alternative or supplemental service has its own strengths and
weaknesses. The use of private police, however, has particular appeal
because property or business owners can directly contract for public
safety services, thereby providing welcome relief for municipal budgets.
Finally, private police functions can be flexible, depending upon
the financial, organizational, political, and situational circumstances
of the client.
Feel free to contact us to discuss your options with these innovative
initiatives.