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The Growth of Private Security: Trends in the European Union

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Abstract

This paper provides an update of the trend towards greater private provision of policing and security services in the European Union (EU). Although data must be treated with caution, recent figures indicate growth from around 600,000 security employees in 1999 to well over a million today. To predict future trends, researchers must undertake international comparisons of the reach of private security and make a start towards drawing a comprehensive picture of the means by which security industries are best monitored and regulated in national jurisdictions. The authors argue that, in addition, issues of equality, professionalism and accountability surrounding privatized policing must become a focus of research attention by practitioners and theorists alike.

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Notes

  1. CoESS was founded in 1989 as an umbrella organization for national associations of private security industries www.coess.org.

  2. Uni-Europa is part of an international Union network, www.uni-europa.org.

  3. See www.politi.no.

  4. See http://logreglan.is.

  5. See www.group4securicor.com.

  6. See Group 4 Securicor International Magazine (October, 2004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Ronald van Steden

  2. University of South Australia, School of Commerce, Adelaide, Australia

    Rick Sarre

  3. Law Department, Umeå Universitet, Umeå, Sweden

    Rick Sarre

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  1. Ronald van Steden
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  2. Rick Sarre
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van Steden, R., Sarre, R. The Growth of Private Security: Trends in the European Union. Secur J 20, 222–235 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.sj.8350052

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