Securing Public Places: New Zealand’s Private Security Sector as a National Security Enabler

Abstract

In recent years, national security policy makers globally have grappled with the challenge of addressing the vulnerability of ‘public spaces’ to terror attack. In the wake of the Christchurch mosque attacks, it’s a challenge that has gained sudden urgency in New Zealand. Faced with the numeric impossibility of protecting infinite public spaces within their jurisdictions, several states have enacted strategies to utilise the considerable ‘eyes and ears’ capability of their private security personnel sectors. While the harnessing of numerically superior private security guard forces presents opportunities for a more linked-up approach to protecting the public, there are also significant barriers. Despite their massive growth in recent decades, private security industries the world over struggle with issues – both real and perceived – around pay and conditions, training, standards and professionalism. With the UK and Australia already having taken steps towards public-private security partnerships, to what extent does New Zealand’s private security guarding sector constitute a potential national security force-multiplier?