Occupational culture of private security officers in the Netherlands – comparison with police officers' culture

Abstract

For the past few decades the numbers of private security officers have increased in many European countries, and the role of these officers in the public space has become more important. It is therefore increasingly relevant to gain a better view of the occupational culture of private security. This paper studies the occupational culture of the private security officers by comparing it with the police officers' culture. To what extent does the culture of private security officers correspond to this police culture? The study also tries to answer the question whether the factors that contribute to the police officers' culture create a similar culture in private security. This comparative study of police officers and private security officers shows that the assumption of an increasing cultural similarity between the public police and private security cannot be confirmed. Compared with the police, the private security workers have a far less distinct occupational culture. In so far as there is a distinct cultural element in private security, this study suggests that it may be found in a strong service orientation. There are some indications that the absence of a police-like culture in private security may be due to fundamental differences in work and working conditions between the public police and private security.