Los Angeles, the country's second-largest city, does have a great deal to offer its citizens. The suburbs of Los Angeles remain one of the most desirable places to reside in California. Unfortunately, the metropolis still has a high rate of crime according to recent data, and this has led many residents to become concerned about their safety. People who want to avoid becoming the target of burglars or criminals have started to invest in private security services to protect themselves, their families, and their properties as best as they can.
Current Crime Statistics
The law enforcement agencies have been defunded, demoralized, and neutralized by extremist prosecutors along with woke legislators, and as a result, violent crime is on the rise. In response to this, citizens have begun to take matters into their own hands.
Taking matters into their hands can be seen during riots, but it could also occur in a more organized, intentional way. This happens when entire communities in some cities have hired private security guards to help safeguard their properties and loved ones. Taking such actions could seem far-fetched, but looking at the figures from crime studies across the country, anyone can have a clear picture of why many neighborhoods are doing this.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, 2020 saw the highest rate of homicide spike in current history. This corresponds to data by the FBI. Murder rates increased by 29% between 2019 and 2020, breaking the previous high of 12.7 percent set between 1967 and 1968.
According to other studies by Neighborhood Scout, Los Angeles residents have a 1 in 135 likelihood of becoming a target of an aggravated crime. This ratio is high even when compared to the likelihood of becoming a victim of an aggravated crime in the United States itself.
According to the same study by Neighborhood Scout, approximately 30,000 acts of crime happen in Los Angeles every year. Los Angeles homeowners have a one in 39 likelihood of becoming victims of property crimes. Property crimes account for more than three times the number of aggravated crimes in the region, with 102,000 property crime complaints reported in a given year.
The most widespread crime is theft or burglary from an automobile. Some people leave their car doors open, allowing burglars to easily gain access, take valuable possessions, and flee before being spotted. Personal theft is the second most prevalent crime, which encompasses any crime that does not include getting into a structure or vehicle.
In Los Angeles, a huge percentage of robberies are "crimes of opportunity." When thieves see an opportunity to take something fast and make away with it without getting spotted, they seize it.
Rising Feelings of Vulnerability and Why People are Seeking Out Alternatives
In recent years, there has been an inherent sense of unease and worry about daily security and safety — a sense that lawlessness, disorderliness, and contempt for the legal system are on the rise. Day after day, people across the country follow the news reports and witness something that fuels their common angst.
Citizens see video surveillance of homeowners being assaulted on their doorsteps and relieved of their belongings on numerous occasions. They see package thefts, vehicle robberies, and widespread violence in their neighborhoods daily. Most of these are caught on home security cameras and broadcast to the public.
Robberies aren't just happening in people's homes. Robberies in retail stores have also caught people’s attention. The recent crime phenomenon is referred to as smash-and-grab robberies, in which scores of people scramble into local retailers and get away with merchandise. Across the country, individuals enjoying a meal in outdoor spaces in high-end residences in Los Angeles as well as the suburban areas of Orange County, in California, have been ambushed and burgled.
There's also the country's sudden and unexplained increase in homicides. Even though Chicago has received a lot of attention for this, people are dying in unprecedented numbers in regions like Tucson, Albuquerque, and Austin. These are mostly cities where anyone would not consider criminal acts to be out of hand.
A general sense of justice that's not being administered adds to people's worries. A thief is apprehended and given a citation. Some jurisdictions have made car robbery a misdemeanor. Victims of crime as well as the general public are left to wonder whether committing a crime has no repercussions.
We can all concur that ensuring the security and safety of the citizens is among the most essential purposes of government. The burden of directing these efforts falls primarily on the law enforcement departments.
Dwindling Police Department Resources
Policing in today's world is a difficult task. It necessitates a high level of foresight, agility, versatility, risk-taking, and dedication. In regards to the challenges associated with combating crime and trying to make communities safer, police departments have faced significant budget cuts, limiting their resources.
Law enforcement officers have been impeded by low productivity, depleted ranks, as well as recruiting problems. And in certain communities, agencies have also been working to rebuild the trust of the citizens. Often, these are the neighborhoods where individuals feel most unsafe and insecure.
Several local police departments are finding it hard to offer basic services to the citizens as a direct consequence of police personnel cutbacks. Each community can no longer provide a comprehensive menu of public services. This assertion is supported by the reality that, as per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, police departments will expand by only 41,400 job positions, or about 5% of the 780,000 currently employed.
The police's incapability to offer excellent services to communities, combined with an increasing feeling of vulnerability among the people, has led some neighborhoods to look for other alternatives for their security.
To complement local police departments, many neighborhoods have already started to hire private security. Companies in the private sector are less expensive and more driven by customer service. In reaction to soaring crime levels and police personnel cuts in some regions of Oakland California, many communities have resorted to private security to guard their neighborhoods.
This isn't the circumstance in San Diego, in which the law enforcement budget went up in 2021. However, the increment was to fund non-discretionary expenditures such as increasing insurance costs and utility payments, as well as pension payments for retired law enforcement officers. The police-to-civilian ratio, which is also relatively lower in San Diego, did not increase.
San Diego, the country's eighth-largest city, has approximately 13 law enforcement officers per 10,000 residents, while Los Angeles has 24 police officers for every 10,000 residents whereas New York City has more than 42 police officers for every 10,000 residents.
The San Diego Law Enforcement department is doing an exceptionally good job helping to keep the city safe, despite having a small number of police on the streets. With resources stretched to the limit, local authorities can use some help, and private security could be the answer.
Homicides, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults were all up 9 percent in San Diego during the better part of 2021, especially in contrast to a similar time in 2019 and before the pandemic started. Even though San Diego continues to remain among the least dangerous large cities in the country, recent television videos of smash-and-grab robberies are instilling fear and uncertainty.
California Crime Law Fails
The unforeseen repercussions of Proposition 47, an unsuccessful attempt at criminal justice restructuring, are also contributing to the rise in criminal acts in cities such as San Diego. Prop. 47, dubbed the "Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act," has done little to protect residential areas or schools. Rather, property crimes accelerated across California as a result of this legislation.
Prop. 47 was designed to put nonviolent lawbreakers out of overcrowded prisons and also to handle low-level offenders with more empathy and understanding, but it has the unintended consequence of emboldening criminals. Drug addicts who want to rob to sustain their addictions are responsible for many thefts. They are not afraid of being arrested when they are apprehended with several stolen items or small quantities of narcotics like methamphetamines, heroin, or fentanyl since their offense is charged under Proposition 47.
Although not every neighborhood has the financial means to hire personal security, there's also another less expensive option. To improve the police-to-citizen ratio, the local government should promote and help fund the recruitment of reserve law enforcement officers, who serve willingly and without pay. A reserve officer, like a full-time law enforcement officer, executes general police duties such as street patrol, inquests, report writing, as well as traffic control.
Departments can consider hiring dozens of reserve police to take care of what is known as low-level offenses and releasing regular law enforcement to respond to more severe crimes since they don't necessitate the expensive benefits and wages that arise with full-time service. The supplemental officers can go a long way toward addressing the statewide spike in crime.
How Private Security Services Can Help Neighborhoods
Because of the reliability and sense of security that a security company can provide businesses and people, the private security market is fast expanding. Patrols by private security agents are being used more and more to deter criminals and protect life and property, with anticipations set to rise. Private security personnel in the United States have been found to exceed the number of public law enforcement officers by approximately 400,000. Often police officers, on the other hand, work in the private industry, which is acceptable in many states. In the Los Angeles region, for instance, top companies for private community security employ off-duty as well as recently retired police officers.
Considering the social upheaval that has erupted across the country in recent years, private security patrol officers provide a degree of receptiveness to their clients that far outweighs public services like police departments or emergency services. By hiring a private or neighborhood security team, you could significantly lower your risks of being subjected to criminal acts—a risk that seems to be significantly greater in Los Angeles than in the remaining portion of California.
The most ideal security companies should be able to collaborate with police and other public authorities to guarantee that correspondence is efficient and reliable in the event of a crime. Due to the huge amount of private security firms, there are significant differences in their performance and skills. Choosing a high-quality security company is critical for service users in Los Angeles as well as other incredibly sensitive environments.
Individual property owners, business owners, and neighborhoods are increasingly considering investing in private patrols, and they should look for four defining qualities. A good security service company needs to be able to focus on providing highly qualified personnel, quick response periods, a consistent presence to prevent crime and react appropriately to customers 24/7/365, and also the capacity to respond during a crime or threat.
Private Security Guards are Highly Trained or Have Police Experience
The efficiency with which private security officers can defend your society or property is one of the main reasons why people continue to invest in them. Only the most reputable patrol companies offer off-duty law enforcement officers or ex-police officers who are better equipped to respond to emergencies. Security firms that hire a significant percentage of off-duty and former police officers typically provide superior security for their clients.
Private Security Patrols are Often Able to Respond More Quickly Than Police Departments
Since top security companies can respond to both emergencies as well as non-emergencies quicker than public law enforcement departments, private security services are increasingly becoming popular. Leading security companies have rapid deployment resources needed to respond quickly to their customers' needs, even if they don't meet the criteria for being emergency for public law enforcement response, such as protecting a delicate package delivery while you are away. Private security agencies should also collaborate with local police officers, fire departments, as well as medical emergency service providers. This value of additional help is essential for a successful private security company.
Private Security is Always Present, Which Deters Crime
A further reason why community members and neighborhoods are investing in private security guards would be the deterrent effect they will have on criminal activity in the region. Crime statistics have been rising by 20-40percent in Los Angeles, depending on the type of offense. Active security forces can effectively deter criminals in communities and offer additional peace of mind to communities and families. The most ideal security firms offer on-call security operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week when applied in combination with regular public services. When a security company's staff are off-duty police officers, patrol teams could be armed and capable of intervening or proactively preventing serious offenses from happening.
Off-Duty Police Officers Hired Privately Can Arrest Crime Suspects
If the security company hired is made up of off-duty or even former cops, they are capable of making arrests following citizen arrest provisions and have the expertise to make the arrests safely. That's an important element of private security since it effectively turns your provider into a devoted law enforcement company. The important piece that helps make private security with public service partnerships synonymous or effective is the cumulative connection with on-duty public agencies.
Private security companies across the country offer security and patrolling services for individuals and neighborhoods, aiming to outperform public security services. If you are planning on hiring private security services, you should ensure that your service provider has the necessary expertise and best customer service, since not all private security firms are built equal. Safety officers and patrols need to be well trained and prepared to respond to emergencies and also non-emergency situations. The security patrol should ideally function as an extension of law enforcement agencies, trained, informed, armed, and able to help de-escalate security concerns.
The security of your home and neighborhood is crucial, and with no security service providers, it can seem as if the sense of security is elusive. When security officers are hired to patrol your neighborhood, they can traverse the entire region to guarantee that everything is in order. They are extremely responsive, and dedicated, and will provide customized security solutions to meet your demands. The mere sight of security officers approaching your property would deter burglars from invading your property since they do not want to be caught.
Find Private Security Services Near Me
If you want to hire a professional private security service for your residence, neighborhood, or business, Green Knight Security is the best option in the Los Angeles area. Our team is made up of experienced off-duty as well as former law enforcement officers. Our firm focuses on neighborhood security patrols and also provides a variety of other security services to safeguard your home and property.
Our experts are committed to putting together a security strategy that works for you. We provide a comprehensive variety of security services to communities, including trustworthy and understandable statistics about local criminal activity and policy initiatives. Call us today at 844-457-8326 if you are seeking security solutions for your neighborhood, and we'll take your security services to another level so you will not have to stress over anything.
