The U.S. security guard business is booming, according to a Washington Post article.
America’s preoccupation with safety and struggle with high-profile shootings has resulted in a boom in the number of security guards and private patrol officers. More than 680,000 work in the field, federal labor statistics show, a 20 percent increase since 2004. The security industry has grown four times faster than the private-sector labor market over that period.
The first spike came after 9/11. … [Business] began to slow down during the recession, but picked up again after a barrage of shootings in highly populated areas that don’t involve gangs or drugs violence, a category the FBI calls “active shootings.” Those shootings include events that the country can identify by a single name alone: Aurora. Newtown. Navy Yard.
The FBI recently released a report looked at active shootings over the past 14 years, and discovered between the first and second half of the study. The seven years averaged 6.4 incidents annually, the last seven years averaged 16.4. The result is a country in which private security personnel outnumber police officers three to one.
The industry has grown to $7 billion in size. The cost is more than security guard staffing. It also includes holidays, benefits, training, uniforms, golf carts, and guard stations. Read more here.
Many businesses today combat the rise in security costs with Stealth Monitoring’s virtual surveillance service, which can augment or even replace traditional guard services. Clients tell us they receive greater security coverage through live camera network monitoring and experience significant guard savings.
Stealth Monitoring is a security industry leader in live video surveillance with over 9,000 video cameras watched nationwide. Stealth proactive video monitoring can detect and deter crime in cities in the U.S. and Canada while reducing security guard and other expenses. Stealth’s virtual security guard service can reduce or even replace security guards at a fraction of the cost. A remote surveillance Stealth operator can see unusual activity, activate a speaker warning to deter criminals, and call the local police.
Please call toll-free (866) 382-3873 or contact Stealth today for more information to protect your property. Visit our web site to see actual videos of criminals being apprehended at a range of commercial businesses.
