Across the country, communities are feeling the impact of police staffing shortages. A recent Time Magazine article highlighted how Pennsylvania families, business owners, and college campuses are increasingly turning to private security companies for support. One example described a gas station owner who hired an armed guard after waiting six hours for police to respond to an ATM robbery.
This trend is becoming more common nationwide. As law enforcement agencies struggle to maintain staffing levels, many people are looking to armed and unarmed security guards to fill critical gaps. But is private security truly the answer? Time Magazine raised important concerns—such as inequality, regulation, and training—so we want to share our perspective on how security professionals fit into this complicated issue.
Challenges Facing Police Departments
According to the Department of Justice, 86% of police agencies reported staffing shortages in 2019, and the situation has only worsened. By 2021:
- Hiring rates had dropped significantly
- Officer resignations and retirements increased by 18%
Here in Colorado Springs, these national trends are felt acutely. At the beginning of 2022, CSPD reported being short 84 patrol officers, and police staffing remains a central topic in the 2023 mayoral race.
But staffing isn’t the only challenge. A review conducted by Transparency Matters found that 80% of CSPD officers felt they needed more training in areas such as:
- Crisis intervention
- De-escalation
- Non-lethal force options
The conclusion is clear: law enforcement agencies need both personnel and improved training resources.
Private Security Vs. Police Officers
From these numbers, it’s immediately clear that our local police force needs more support. Not only are they nearly 100 officers short, but many feel ill-equipped to fulfill their responsibilities. But are private security guards the answer?
Though the police and private security guards should both be working toward a safer community, they have different roles and responsibilities.
Roles
The first difference is that private security guards represent the property owner’s interests, whereas police officers are accountable to the city, state, or county they work for. Though an ethical security officer will work to ensure the safety of as many people as possible, they will likely have a specific area they have been hired to protect. In contrast, police officers are responsible for enforcing the law uniformly.
Responsibilities
In many situations, security guards cannot respond directly to a crime but must notify law enforcement and wait for them to arrive.
In Colorado, there are three categories of security professionals:
- Security guards who cannot use force to secure a property,
- Protection guards who may use non-lethal force,
- And armed guards who carry a firearm and may use force when necessary.
Armed protection guards can respond immediately to crime, but unarmed guards act primarily as a deterrent.
Training
Though our police training programs have room for improvement, the average police officer still completes over 550 hours of training in a police academy before entering the field.
Colorado law only requires 80 hours of training to earn an armed or protection guard license and eight additional hours to renew. A reputable security company will provide ongoing training to prepare its guards for crises. Still, armed guards with only the minimum training may be more of a liability than an asset.
Do Security Guards Make Communities Safer?
Security guards play an essential role in maintaining safety and order in communities. With their presence and vigilance, they deter criminal activity and provide a sense of security to residents.
However, the effectiveness of security guards in making communities safer depends on their training, experience, and available resources. Some security guards may only be equipped to handle minor incidents, while others may have specialized training to handle more serious situations.
Though security guards can contribute to community safety, they should not be relied on as the sole solution to crime prevention. Instead, a holistic approach that includes community involvement, effective law enforcement, and crime prevention initiatives is necessary to create a safe and secure community.
Partnership, Not Replacement
At Pikes Peak Security, we aim to work alongside local law enforcement by de-escalating minor incidents, deterring crime, and providing an immediate response when they cannot. We are not an alternative to a strong police force, but we equip our security officers with high-quality training, technology, and resources to make our community safer.
In the future, we hope to see more qualified professionals entering both the police force and the security industry so we can build strong partnerships that benefit our Colorado community.
