Security Profession: Law Enforcement Liaison and Data Sources

Introduction to the Security Profession

Professional security is a booming industry. In the 21st century alone, there has been a significant increase in the demand for private, corporate, organizational, and other forms of security. The security profession yields a number of rewarding opportunities for those who are properly trained and adequately experienced. There is, however, a very clear risk in becoming a security professional. As with most things in life, adequate education and clarification regarding one's chosen profession — in this case, hypothetically, security — serves to minimize on-the-job risks and increase awareness of the various facets of the work.

This paper provides some background and contextual information regarding the security profession, and concisely focuses upon two issues in security: liaising with law enforcement, and locating reliable data sources for security purposes. There are numerous instances where security forces can operate without the assistance or collaboration of law enforcement agencies, but there are likely occasions when such collaboration is absolutely necessary and the safety of property and people could be at stake. As with many industries in the 21st century, the security profession is changing rapidly — advancements in technology, training, and procedures are coming very quickly. As a result, it is important for current and future security professionals to keep abreast of such changes and to know where they can locate reliable sources of information about their profession.

The necessity for cooperation and collaboration is one of the defining themes of the 21st century. In the United States, especially since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there has been an increased urgency for interdepartmental cooperation between federal agencies, law enforcement, private security, and more. The need for cooperation stems from an urge to provide better safety, as events such as 9/11 underscore that there are clear areas where security could be improved. Improved security comes partially from improved communication and cooperation. This is the spirit and motivation behind a powerful initiative such as Operation Cooperation.

The Case for Law Enforcement–Private Security Cooperation

Sometimes threats are so great that no single private security team or law enforcement agency can address the problem alone. Cooperative investigations offer many benefits, including sharing information, sharing professional experience, combining resources, and working as a team toward a common goal. There is a relative level of competition among private security forces and law enforcement agencies, but some objectives surpass the need to compete — such as neutralizing a serious threat. Therefore, professionals in security must be aware that over the course of their careers they will likely have to cooperate and collaborate with law enforcement agencies. Security professionals should understand what that kind of cooperation entails, what the possible limitations are, and what the professional expectations are for investigative cooperation, so as not to impede or otherwise hinder active investigations.

Operation Cooperation represented a significant milestone in examining law enforcement–private security (LE-PS) partnerships and developing practical guidelines for forming and sustaining them. As the Law Enforcement-Private Security Consortium explains:

Operation Cooperation and Formal Partnership Frameworks

"The Operation Cooperation guidelines in 2000 were used by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), ASIS International (ASIS), and the National Sheriffs' Association to increase awareness among police chiefs, sheriffs, and security directors of the benefits of working together, and to inform law enforcement of improvements in the security industry and of the extensive resources private security has to offer." (LEPSC, 2009, p. 7)

This kind of structured, formal framework is essential for translating goodwill into consistent professional practice. By giving agencies common guidelines and goals, Operation Cooperation helped move LE-PS collaboration beyond ad hoc arrangements toward a more reliable and institutionalized model. For aspiring security professionals, familiarity with such frameworks is a practical necessity, not merely an academic exercise.

While private security as a profession has boomed in many ways, there are key areas in which the industry still lags behind. One of these is accurate data collection, data presentation, and the compilation of other relevant statistics. This is a pressing modern issue that security professionals must take seriously. Statistics may seem dry to some, but that perception does not diminish their value or necessity. Accurate and up-to-date statistics about the industry — including demographics, tools used, success rates, and rates of collaboration with other agencies — are essential for informed decision-making. With modern tools such as data visualization, it is relatively straightforward to represent large quantities of data in visually appealing and condensed ways.

Conclusion: Education and Awareness for Security Professionals

Professional security is not an industry that looks like it will subside or fall to the wayside any time soon. Yet in order to keep the industry booming, security professionals need superior education and training regarding the most prominent and pressing issues of the profession. Reliable data sources about the security profession and collaboration with law enforcement are two of many important issues that those in — and those looking to enter — the profession of security should be knowledgeable in, if not expert on. A well-informed security professional is a more effective and more credible one.