The Wrong Arm of the Law? Public Images of Private Security

The concept of "policing" is returning to multi-agency and commercial provision. Private security has recently penetrated areas previously monopolised by public policing agencies and it is now difficult to envisage the management of law and order without private sector input. Consequently, private provision has attained greater public importance and been subject to greater media scrutiny. Images of policing have an important role to play in reflecting and influencing perceptions of society. Yet what do common images of private security portray? This article examines three stereotypes - the Watchman, the Gangster and the Hired Gun - and the way they inform our understanding of private policing. Its central argument is that values communicated through the mystification process have as much impact on public perceptions of reality as any amount of state intervention. While this article takes a predominantly British perspective, the central arguments are likely to be applicable in any country experiencing similar trends.