Public vs. Private Security Private

Public vs. Private Security Private and public security forces have always been integral and critical components of ensuring safety and security in society. Although they may share some similarities especially with regards to the protection of lives and properties, their differences lay with their specific and detailed mandates as well as the extent of their responsibilities. Indeed, "private security and public law enforcement share many of the same goals: preventing crime and disorder, identifying criminals, and ensuring the security of people and property (U.S.

Department of Justice, 2007)." The latter though has more responsibilities under the law especially with regards to investigating crimes, pursuing criminals, and bringing them to justice. Taking the case whereby a parade is being held in a public venue, both public and private security forces are present albeit for different reasons. The public security forces particularly the police are present to maintain law and order as part of their regular duties and responsibilities.

On the other hand, the private security forces were contracted by the various merchants to provide security for business establishments. Thus, the basic segregation of their duties and responsibilities in this particular scenario are apparent between the two security groups. However, when a sniper starts shooting randomly at the crowd, the police and private security professionals will have both overlapping and distinct duties as the shooting occurs and in the aftermath thereto. Both forces should and must ensure the safety and security of the public and prevent injury or death.

This means that they will have to risk their lives in order to protect the public. But there are limitations though to the work of private security forces in this scenario and that is they cannot stop the protection of lives and property to go after and try arresting the sniper; this is the purview of the law enforcement personnel.

Consequently, while trying to prevent harm to public lives and properties, the duties of law enforcement personnel will extend both time and space since they will have to investigate, capture and prosecute the sniper. Public security personnel may do the same but only in the confines of the time and space they are in at present, and provided they can readily identify the perpetrator.

Thus, if the perpetrator is within their reach and waiting for police officers to arrive on scene might render to the perpetrator an avenue for escape, the private security forces can affect a citizen's arrest because "almost all states give citizens power to effect arrests for felonies, and for misdemeanors committed in their presence [especially when the person arresting] has reasonable grounds to believe that an offense other than an ordinance violation is being committed (Pastor, 2010)." In this case, the private security officers may initiate the arrest based on this premise but thereafter, the arrestee will have to be turned over to the police for further legal processing.

Without a doubt, the delineation between private security and police forces.