Question

In a paragraph of at least 6 sentences, please respond to the case below.

The City of Minerva, a municipality of 25,000 residents, has been struggling financial for some years and recently cut back on services in order to balance its modest budget. One member of the Minerva City Council suggested at a recent meeting that the City consider privatizing its police force in order to save money. The city manager looked into the possibility and identified one company that provided policing services on a contractual basis. A representative of the company attended the next Council meeting and stated that a lower cost service could be provided if the City was willing to accept non-certified trained paraprofessional to do the job, with one certified officer on each shift in case an arrest needed to be made. Based on the criteria for privatization discussed during the course, should Minerva privatize its police force? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Privatization of police force due to financial crisis is not valid reason for a small municipality of 25000 people. Services like policing which are related to security of the society are the most important duty of the governments (at federal, state or municipal level) towards its tax payer citizens.

The concept of contracting or outsourcing the police force to for-profit firms seems reasonable, because when there are people available who can conduct jobs of protecting the citizens and patrolling the streets at lower wages than such theory must be implemented.

But real world is not a theory; the following points will discuss the cons of privatization of police force:

• The private force might charge less but they will work for their wages and perform their jobs. But there will a lack of commitment to perform the duty to protect its tax payer citizens and serve the country.
• The governments are vulnerable to corruption
• Less transparency and accountability.

Also the offer of the company at the Minerva City Council is not specific to make a decision:-

• Trained professionals without valid certificates must be unacceptable. Training and professionalism both are at doubt.
• One certified officer on each shift in case of arrests.
  • Certification agency is not mentioned hence certificates are at doubt.
  • Shifts are not specified. If shift means day and night shift then two officers will have to work for not less than 12 hours each.
  • Also these officers will handle major situations of arrests.
• Company did not exactly quote; it just offered lower cost services if so called professionals are accepted by the city.

Hence privatization of police force based on the discussions during the course does not seems appropriate and should not be implemented.