Mapping the security networks - And the role of private security companies

Abstract

This thesis examines the local occurrence of two global trends on a local level in Sweden, the increased privatisation of security services and the increasing tension and security problems in urban areas. The local security networks in Angered (Gothenburg) and Rinkeby-Kista Stockholm are the cases examined in the thesis. Both Angered and Rinkeby-Kista has experienced riots in the communities and in order to enhance the security private security companies are a part of the local security network in both cases. The focus of the thesis is to enhance the understanding of how local security networks are designed and functions as well as understanding what role private security companies’ play: How are the local security networks designed in terms of actors, structures, roles and measures? How was the current design of the local security network decided? And how do the people involved in the local security network consider private security companies in terms of advantages and disadvantages? The tools used to answer these questions are document analysis of policy documents, evaluations and contract and interviews with the main actors in the local security network (City district municipalities, police, private security companies and youth centres). The most decisive factor of how the design of the security networks, the more private presence in the design stage the more likely it seems that private security companies are used to preform more tasks like patrolling and outreach activities. The main features of local security networks are proactive and preventive measures like outreach activities and different forums and projects to increase the trust and respect for authorities and society. One of the main problems seems to cooperation between private security companies and different actors involved in security networks, the security companies rarely have any cooperation with city district municipalities, social services, the police and youth centres. The main advantages with private security companies are almost exclusively that they are a pair of extra eyes on the ground and can work with traditional tasks like patrolling and manned guarding. Local security networks are still a new phenomenon, the design, structures and cooperation differs a lot from case to case and also depending on who is describing it.