"The crime rate is falling... or rising (depending upon which statistics you accept, the strength of your pre-determined prejudice or your political persuasion). The only certainty is that, as the next General Election approaches, crime will be kept high on the political agenda.

"It is a popular issue with all politicians, one where they can be confident of finding widespread agreement that ‘something should be done'. Lacking specific proposals and fearful of funding commitments, the buzz word ‘partnership' will remain in evidence.

"Previously, the Labour Party has offered ‘Partners Against Crime'. The Conservatives responded with ‘Partnerships Against Crime'. The word ‘partnership' is also popular with politicians. It is considered to be a good thing. Hardly anyone has a word to say against it. It is a particularly good thing when, as with community partnerships, it involves someone doing something for nothing and, with private sector involvement, it means fewer people working longer hours for lower wages!

"It also has the advantage, for the politician, of being a rather vague concept, left alone to mean different things to different people and probably nothing in particular to quite a lot of people (although bringing with it a nice, warm glow all the same).

"Given the readership profile of this publication, is it possible you consider yourself to be part of a community and a possible candidate for this partnership? You are a law-abiding citizen and a tax payer. You have led a blameless life, your sole encounter with the law being a parking ticket ten years ago. You endeavour to set examples and lead others into the path of righteousness. You accept that, should you see a man wearing a striped jersey and a mask leaving the house next door carrying a sack marked ‘Swag', it is your duty to telephone the police.

"Beyond this, what do these much-vaunted and expensively publicised partnerships expect of you? If the answer is: "Nothing much" then what's the big deal? The traditional partnership between the individual citizen and society was one in which the former paid his or her rates and taxes, obeyed the law and avoided intemperate behaviour. In return, society provided certain services including, most notably, protection and maintenance of law and order.

"Does the proliferation of community schemes, campaigns and initiatives conceal the fact that this partnership - which functioned perfectly well without the need for catchy titles - has broken down? After all, Mrs Thatcher once said: "There's no such thing as society"... If this is so, is there any longer any such thing as the citizen with individual responsibility? If the answer is: "No", then what hope is there for partnerships?

"The subject of partnerships with the private sector covers a whole range of activities with perhaps crime prevention and law enforcement the most contentious and emotive. For society to retain its structure, stability and decency, it requires certain fundamental tasks to be performed. In the main these are labour intensive rather than technology-driven. In varying degrees they are uncomfortable, tedious, distasteful, (in some areas) dangerous to a life-threatening degree and, in general, poorly rewarded.

"Traditionally, society accepted responsibility both for the provision of these services and for the people providing them. Compensation for unattractive working conditions and low pay came from job security and an attitude that regarded workers as a resource rather than an element to be manipulated in the pursuit of corporate profit, an assumption that they were motivated by something other than personal gain.

"Society has had a particular unwritten but nonetheless strong bargain with its policemen and women. In return for reasonable reward and regard, assured long term employment and adequate pension provisions for a dignified retirement, they clear up society's mess... and, in so doing, often put their lives on the line. Whenever a police officer is killed society collectively and ritually mourns. Medals are posthumously awarded, the bereaved comforted, eulogies delivered and solemn words uttered by politicians. This is part of the deal. The police officer knows - and society expects - that, from time to time, one of their number will be killed in the line of duty.

"Society can have no such expectation of a private security officer. Yet still there is talk of developing partnerships with the private sector, not only in crime prevention but also in law enforcement in what are deemed to be ‘non-core' policing activities. It allows speculation that police authorities might assume the status of NHS Trusts, and encourages more commercial attitudes resulting - in some areas - in patrol cars carrying sponsorship advertising.

"In so doing it denigrates the concepts of duty, loyalty and service, even sacrifice, in favour of the greater glory of private profit. The reliable, long-established public servant is replaced by the reluctant, short term mercenary made so - in a further break with tradition - by being required to serve the lowest rather than the highest bidder. What society gains from this is debatable. What it stands to lose is incalculable, and may yet prove to be irreplaceable.

"It might be prudent for the security industry to consider the long term benefit it is deriving from being seen as an upfront, ever-ready and acquiescent partner in this process."

Source

SMT