National (and international) focus was recently brought to a debate that has long been raging across the U.S. as to the role of the police in America. Questions surrounding the unlawful targeting of persons of color, and their use of excessive or inappropriate force have been surrounding the police force since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a police officer.

As a direct result of this and the publicity it received, many cities country wide reduced their police budgets in order to redirect funds towards social services and mental health support, leaving many police departments with a deficit of officers, and struggling to find new ones. Unfortunately, this decline in police officers has directly corresponded with an increase in crime across the U.S. and particularly in larger cities.

So how has this impacted the private security industry?

Shrinking police departments and crime spikes

With visibly depleted police departments and crime on the rise, many businesses are turning to private security companies to help keep them, their employees, their business and their customers, safe.

With the Wall Street Journal reporting on the increased demand for private security officers and the importance of their role within communities, they write that unarmed guards in particular, are proving to be extremely useful for businesses, especially as many of them are just beginning to reopen in the wake of pandemic restrictions. By helping visitors and workers feel more confident with respect to their personal safety, they are proving to be an invaluable and worthwhile investment.

In some instances, those living and working outside of business groups, have been putting their money together to pay for security guards to patrol areas of their neighborhood that are particularly at risk, and say that the added protection it affords them, is well worth paying for.

Will the demand for private security guards continue to grow?

For as long as crime rates continue to soar, it seems the need for private security guards will continue, too. Even in those cities that have managed to retain their workforces, public trust in the police is at an all-time low, and it may be some years yet before they ever regain the public’s faith in them.

Reduced police numbers may be bad news for communities, but it’s great news for the private security industry. To take advantage of this and get yourself a valuable career as a security guard, find your local training center and start gaining the skills you need to protect and serve those who need you the most.

If you are looking for a security guard training centre, visit Code4stc.com (Security Guard Training)