Many Americans think that public demonstrations and protests are the solution to ending police brutality and the murder of non-convicted civilians.
I maintain that private municipal security guards, operated for profit, would be a far more effective way to protect lives and property, and a far more effective way to deter police originated racial discrimination.
With that in mind, I propose a more radical approach: Privatize the government police monopoly.
How would privatization work?
Each local municipality would solicit proposals from private, for profit security firms to patrol neighborhoods and to apprehend criminals as needed. The current system of criminal and civil courts could be maintained. Private residences and privately-owned businesses would supplement with their own security measures, both in person and surveillance.
Would the current policemen and women be out of work? Not at all. The experienced service of the vast majority good ones would remain much in demand. Instead of working for the government, they would instead work for the citizens. Each local municipality would contract with a private security firm.
Competition is superior to monopoly
The force of competition would increase and ensure the quality of law enforcement and decrease cost, as with all products and services now provided by the free market.
Any private constable who abuses his or her authority, or who is negligent, to the detriment of citizen satisfaction, would face swift disciplinary action and termination. This would be a much stronger incentive for performance than the current system, where it is often very cumbersome to remove a wayward government police officer.
Would you like a satisfaction guarantee?
As with most free market services, it would soon become the norm for private security firms to offer a satisfaction guarantee. If they fail to protect a home or a business location from damage, they would be obligated to cover all costs.
The private sector has a built-in motivation to avoid racial discrimination. Discrimination costs money. I will go out on a limb here and say…beating up and killing customers of any race is not good business. Customer satisfaction will prevail and negate bigotry any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Privatize the government police monopoly and we will all be safer and happier.
