Private Security route for a better Baltimore? (crime, employment)

[BMoreJuice]

I'm sure we have all noticed the private security guards all around Johns Hopkins University. Although I am not expert but I have reason to believe that it has made a successful contribution in the effort to prevent petty crimes around campus and creating employment opportunities. The question I have is what if we have these types of private security companies in key locations through out Baltimore? Whether commercial or residential? Do you think this could potentially lessen street crime? I can certainly think of cons but could this outweigh the pros?

[designer_genes]

Plenty of petty crimes still occur on campus.

In fact, just recently someone lifted a bunch of expensive microscopy equipment (objective lenses, fluorescent light sources, etc) from one of the buildings and it took them a long time to catch the guy. Isn't this the type of crime that should be prevented in the first place? Why was there no security footage of this guy just walking out of the building with all of this stuff?

Blows my mind.

[mpheels]

The problem with using private security is that they end up only protecting the people who can afford to hire them. If you use public money to fund it, then it's little different than hiring police. In the case of Hopkins, the security guards are at fixed points around campus, which means the area within eyesight benefits. There are still plenty of purse/phone snatchings and minor assaults around campus.

Having more eyes on the street will certainly reduce petty crime, but those eyes don't need to be in the form of hired security. Efforts to foster businesses, like restaurants and shops, could have the same impact by way of increasing foot traffic. I don't know if there is already a business equivalent of vacants to value, but there should be. Anything to encourage small, local businesses.

[BMoreJuice]

There is always going to be petty crime, but there are strategies to minimize it. How can private security be incorporated to watch over commercial and maybe residential areas? Just free thinking and discussion here.

[picardlx]

Originally Posted by BMoreJuice

There is always going to be petty crime, but there are strategies to minimize it. How can private security be incorporated to watch over commercial and maybe residential areas? Just free thinking and discussion here.

I think Roland has their own private security. Maybe you can seek crime stats immediately before and immediately after the service started to see if there was any attributable reduction in crime.

[cdmoore125]

Originally Posted by BMoreJuice

There is always going to be petty crime, but there are strategies to minimize it. How can private security be incorporated to watch over commercial and maybe residential areas? Just free thinking and discussion here.

I was in South Africa for the World Cup a few years back - private security was all over residential areas. It actually made me feel that the area was scarier - why were there so many private security guys driving around in a residential area?

[BMoreJuice]

Originally Posted by cdmoore125

I was in South Africa for the World Cup a few years back - private security was all over residential areas. It actually made me feel that the area was scarier - why were there so many private security guys driving around in a residential area?

I can see that but at the same time, people are not moving to Baltimore City is droves because of the crime rate..

[cdmoore125]

Originally Posted by BMoreJuice

I can see that but at the same time, people are not moving to Baltimore City is droves because of the crime rate..

I wouldn't move to S.A. because of the private security I was seeing. Unlike traveling to NYC where there is a police officer on every corner. The discussion of police brutality ancillary to this (though NYC doesn't escape it).

[designer_genes]

Originally Posted by cdmoore125

I was in South Africa for the World Cup a few years back - private security was all over residential areas. It actually made me feel that the area was scarier - why were there so many private security guys driving around in a residential area?

I was in SA during the World Cup too and I have to say I completely agree with this sentiment.