In the face of rampant crime, many individuals and businesses turn to private security as an alternative to government protection. One example is the Karco gas station in Philadelphia, which has hired heavily armed guards from Pennsylvania S.I.T.E. Agents to patrol its premises. The guards are equipped with Kevlar vests and either AR-15s or shotguns, and the owner claims that since hiring the guards, the gas station has been free of loitering and other criminal activity.
The failure of state police and the justice system to effectively protect citizens is what has led many people to turn to private security and the use of firearms for self-defense. In some states, restrictive gun control laws and limitations on self-defense like “duty to retreat” laws have only further contributed to this trend. As a result, many individuals and communities have been forced to take matters into their own hands to feel safe and secure.