Author: Dynon, N.
Published in National Security Journal, Volume 1, Issue 1, October 2019
intutionalised relationship between the industry and any of the government agencies one might assume it would have a relationship with.
Relative to comparable jurisdictions internationally, public-private cooperation in security in New Zealand is hampered by a continuing assumption by the state of its own absolute preponderance in security affairs. Ironically, this assumption is at odds with the dynamic of government-driven responsibilisation that has fuelled the industry’s spectacular growth. Exactly how the state might more meaningfully engage with the sector, and how it might harness the surveillance, reporting, incident response and security management roles of the private security industry as a ‘complementary capability’ in the national interest are questions that naturally lead from the above discussion. They are – or ought to be – inevitable questions, the answers to which have the potential to make New Zealand’s public places – and the people who frequent them – safer.
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