NCJ Number
88225
Date Published
1981
Length
27 pages
Annotation
Fifty countries responded to an International Criminal Police Organization survey of the relations between police and private security bodies, including those operating alarm centers and those with their own security and/or investigation departments.
Abstract
Results point to the growth of the private security industry. Half of the countries had private firms operating alarm centers connected to equipment installed in their customers' premises, these centers being responsible for informing the police in the event of an alarm. Over 70 percent reported that private companies had set up their own security and/or investigation departments for internal puposes. In most countries, no license is needed to set up either an alarm center or an investigation/security department. In those cases where licenses are required, police generally act as consultants when an alarm center applies for a license, but they conduct character investigations for private security and/or investigation departments. Usually the authorities do not supervise these services or departments. If they do, the institution responsible may be the police, the Ministry of Justice, or some other agency. The police seldom exercise any influence over the relationship between private security firms and their customers. False alarms are a serious problem in almost all the countries contacted. A table depicts the number of such firms, their staff strength, and additional information for 20 countries. For each question, several countries supply more detailed information. For the survey on firms supplying guards and installing security equipment, see NCJ 86593.