The citizens of Sharpstown, Texas, were sick and tired of crime rates inching up and they wanted to do something about it, so in 2012 they decided not to renew the contract for their local police department. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Instead, Sharpstown put its law enforcement needs in the hands of a private security firm — and only 20 months later, crime within the city limits has fallen by more than 60 percent.

It may seem like a completely counter-intuitive approach, but the people of Sharpstown may be onto something here. SEAL Security Solutions, the private security that now protects Sharpstown, has its officers dedicate 100 percent of their time to the city, whereas a traditional policeman might have spent only 70 to 80 percent of his time within the municipality. Furthermore, SEAL adapts its patrol schedules to target areas that report more crimes, which means that problem locales become less problematic due to an increased law enforcement presence. Local police departments often instead rely on a blanket approach to patrolling.

The decision to move toward a private security firm has had a positive impact on the taxpayer’s wallet too. Compared to the bill for a constable patrol contract, SEAL’s services save taxpayers about $200,000 each year, allowing Sharpstown to divert funds toward other projects while seeing substantially better results. Critics of SEAL and similar firms worry that their officers do not receive as much training as their traditional counterparts, but â€“ thus far, at least â€“ the results speak for themselves.

Another bonus is that employees of this private firm must act with common human decency since they can’t rely on the immunity that elevates government-backed police departments to a pedestal that is above the law. First example, an Eric Garner or Kelly Thomas type situation would bankrupt the company. As a result, citizens are treated with the respect that we all deserve.

Fortunately for advocates of a smaller government across the board, Sharpstown isn’t the only city that is reaping the benefits of privatized security. The trend has seen an increase across the country, with more and more municipalities ditching constable patrol contracts for a more efficient, sensible solution.

It’s just another example of the benefits that communities stand to gain by slashing through bureaucratic red tape and taking matters into our own hands.

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