The U.S. is known as the founder and the king of capitalism. Almost every aspect of life in the U.S. is privatized, and this has its own strengths and its known weaknesses. However, privatization has reached even public and government organizations. In this case, law enforcement agencies.
Law enforcement agencies play a more crucial role now than ever. Homicides are increasing at a staggering rate, and people’s lives are now more in danger than ever. But the problems of law enforcement in the U.S. still stand, and one of its main problems is its budget.
The Problem of Law Enforcement in the U.S.
Police Brutality and Budget
Because of the rise in police brutality, people are putting less trust in how the government does justice. In retaliation to this, the government has defunded law enforcement agencies by more than half. This has led to massive layoffs and a lack of equipment maintenance in many states of the U.S.
Some states are more affected than others. For example, the state of Michigan didn’t take this lightly. Detroit, one of the highest cities with the highest crime rates in the city, already has minimal funds to work with. This has led the city to be severely understaffed against the rising tide of crimes, in where at least three happens every day.
This has taken a toll on the equipment used by the same agencies, with some cities not having enough force multipliers to deter criminals from committing crimes. However, experts suggest that since law enforcement agencies are made by the public, they can bring it down anytime.
The Rise of Privatized Security Force
Now that there is less funding from law enforcement agencies due to police brutality, there is an increased need for privatized security forces to patrol the streets. As a result, a less known industry before, which relies mainly on freelancers as bodyguards, has become a billion-dollar industry with people depending so much on their capabilities.
For individuals, such as former cops and veterans, this is a good career transition. But the problem is that even current police officers are now quitting their jobs to join these companies. They have better pay and benefits for those who join them. They are also not running out of slots when compared to their public counterparts.
Furthermore, the industry is growing, and it’s growing fast. Veterans who had saved some money during their service can now run their own privatized security companies. It’s as simple as that, and as government regulations are still catching up to this rise, more people are joining their ranks.
Uses of a Privatized Security Force
Safety in Knowledge
Although we don’t suggest hiring them for your community because they are quite expensive and privatized, they can help with increasing your neighborhood’s knowledge about crimes.
Private security forces can help through seminars and outreach programs. They can even help build and set up a local shooting range for your community. Because of their extensive experience with firearms, they can be knowledgeable shooting range design consultants. You’re going to need that if you have a decent population in your community that has firearms.
Shooting ranges can teach people with force multipliers about trigger discipline, appropriate aim, and how to keep calm during combat. All of these are essential if you want these people to stay safe in their homes. However, remember that force multipliers such as guns can also cause harm in your community.
Convoys and Government Protection
If one entity can afford these privatized security forces aside for high-end neighborhoods in the U.S., that would be the U..S government itself. Currently, every senator and government official pays for their own bodyguards. However, with a rise in a privatized security force, it would be more feasible for the government to give security contracts to these entities.
It’s quite clear that the threat management industry isn’t going to be taken down by a couple of policies. So why not accept the opportunities it brings? By giving government contracts to these privatized security forces, you’re technically giving more people more jobs. You’re also helping the economy somehow recover from the devastation it experienced last year.
There is a real potential that the security of every city and state in the U.S. will be relying on these privatized security forces. As distrust continues to build upon the current law enforcement agencies, more people will look for alternatives to their security. Soon, it might reach a point when we completely overhaul the current way the government is doing this for our protection. On top of it are privatized companies willing to sell a security at the highest bidder.
