E. American Private Security 1. The development of private security a. The private security industry has grown rapidly over the past 30 years for a number of reasons. Revenues for public policing have declined. Crimes in the workplace are often intimate, costly, and embarrassing.
Employers have better control of private security officers.
Fewer constitutional limits restrict the actions of private security officers. The first issue, which puts private security at odds with public law enforcement, involves the legal status and authority of private security officers. This situation means that private security officers face fewer constitutional limitations on their activities, but may incur civil or criminal liability for violating an individual's civil rights or for false arrest. A second issue faced by private security is the implication of employing off-duty police officers. It is also not clear who is liable should moonlighting officers abuse their authority or make a mistake and harm somebody.