Influence of Training Levels of Private Security Service Providers in Crime Prevention in Lurambi Sub-County, Kenya

This study aimed to examine the role of private security providers in crime prevention in Lurambi Sub-County, Kenya. The study was necessitated by private security providers' presence and use to protect life, property, and maintenance of law and order in Lurambi Sub-County, Kakamega County, Kenya. The Routine Activity and Situational Crime Prevention Theories of criminology informed the study. Specifically, this study intended to establish resource availability for private security service providers in crime prevention in Lurambi Sub-county, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive and correlational research designs. The primary target population constituted 358 respondents, both male and female, drawn from six registered and regulated private security service providers in Lurambi Sub-County, 5 senior police officers in charge of security, police administration, and 4 police stations across Lurambi Sub-County, and 133 clients of private security services. Purposive sampling was used to identify the 6 registered and licensed private security firms which provided the study population. Proportionate sampling with a statistical framework of 30% was used to identify 108 private security service providers who formed the sample size to ensure that the private security officers from the 6 firms were represented in the same proportion that they existed within the population. Questionnaires were used to collect data from three groups of respondents, including 108 private security officers, 6 managers each in charge of each private security firm that participated in the study, and 40 clients sampled from the 6 private security firms that participated in the study. Interview guides were used to collect data from 5 senior police officers in charge of security, police administration, and 4 police stations spread across Lurambi Sub-County. The study findings revealed that private security service providers were not adequately trained, hence impacting crime prevention negatively in Lurambi Sub-County. The study recommended that private security service providers consider providing relevant and timely training programs to strengthen crime prevention efforts. Key Terms: Training Levels, Private Security, Crime Prevention DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/11-6-04 Publication date:July 31st 2021 1.1 Background of the Study Fischer, Halibozek, and Walters (2012) defined security as a predictable habitation where an individual or a group of people may achieve their dreams without fear of being disrupted, injured, or killed. From the above perspective, security can be associated with a sense of being free from fear of disruption, injury, or any deliberate activity that may disrupt one from attaining their goal. George and Kimber (2014) opine that it is difficult to define the concept of private security based on the existence of different variations in defining the term "security" itself, from which the idea of private security originates from. Nevertheless, several scholars have attempted to develop definitions for private security, even though most of them have provided definitions that suit their own perspectives and interests. Nsibambi (2014) defined "private security" as security and any related services being provided by any other entities apart from the government directed towards preventing crime. Going back to the annals of history, Dempsey (2010) sheds light on the earliest documented circumstances in British England that necessitated the origin and the establishment of Private Security. The advent of this enterprise was catalyzed by increased crime in rural England in the early eighteenth century, which prompted the rich to recruit private individuals who mostly included gamekeepers to secure their properties on their behalf. They later formed security associations and established collaborations in a bid to gain more strength and resilience. These events took place even though there was a government that was in existence at that time. From then, the concept of Private security became the norm globally. According to Nemeth (2012), the concept of Private security in continental America followed the same patterns as Medieval England. The need for the colonial settlers from England to protect themselves from threatening hostilities and attacks from the native red Indians and other colonial powers such as the Spanish resulted in the formation of watch groups. The first documented one dates back to 1634 in Boston. The need for Public Policy and Administration Research www.iiste. org ISSN 2224-5731(Paper) ISSN 2225-0972(Online)