Modeling future relations between the private and public sectors of law enforcement

In this paper a conceptual model is developed and tested as a means of better understanding the nature of future relations between public law enforcement and private security. Drawing upon Shearing's (1992) and Marx's (1987) work on the ever changing nature of public and private police relationships, a framework called the “cryptic model” is extended to further refine current thinking about police/security relations. Police officers' and security professionals' views and attitudes of the proposed model are assessed, and the implications of divergent viewpoints regarding future sector relations are discussed.