Public security

Public security is the function of governments which ensures the protection of citizens, persons in their territory, organizations, and institutions against threats to their well-being – and to the prosperity of their communities.[1]

A member of the Republican Guard of the National Gendarmerie.

To meet the increasing challenges in the public security area, responsible public institutions and organisations can tap into their own intelligence to successfully address possible threats in advance. They optimise their internal structures, use synergies, and carefully balance costs and benefits of their measures.

Public safety organizations include law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. The public safety issues that a municipality, county, state, or federal jurisdiction might grapple with include narcotic use, trespassing, burglary, harassment, juvenile delinquency, unauthorized living, noise, littering, inappropriate social behavior, inebriation, and other quality of life issues. Generally organizations are involved in the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury, or property damage, such as crimes or disasters (natural or human-made).

Framework

Organized crime and international terrorism are hardly deterred by geographical, linguistic, or financial barriers. Competence and administrative hurdles play into their hands.

The latter has largely contributed to public security becoming an important political and economic issue, nationally as well as internationally. Politics, public organizations and businesses closely collaborate to guarantee public security and maintain a stable environment for economic prosperity.

Although public security significantly contributes to the attractiveness of a location, the productivity of its people, and hence the overall success of an economy, the sector frequently suffers from low budgets, limited resources, and inadequate information systems. Large events, pandemics, severe accidents, environmental disasters, and terrorism attacks pose additional threats to public security and order.

The police, federal police and border authorities nonetheless need to warrant the security of the country as a fundamental prerequisite for the domestic political ability to act. The quality and scope of potential threats have changed significantly, and the tasks and general framework for the police, federal police and border authorities have changed accordingly.

National
  • Federal agency for technical relief
  • Federal criminal investigation department
  • Federal Customs and Border Administration / U.S. Customs and Border Protection
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
  • Federal ministry such as Interior, Justice or Public safety
  • Federal police / Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Regional
  • City or town police e.g. Bryan Police Department, Texas (US)
  • County police e.g. Fairfax County Police Department, Virginia (US)
  • Sheriff's department
  • State police or provincial police e.g. Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts (US)

Local
  • Fire brigade
  • Local police authority or department
  • Mayor's office / Local government
  • Municipal public affairs office

Sub-sectors

There are five sub-sectors within public security:

Law enforcement

Police Services:

  • National / Federal police
  • Regional / Local police

Intelligence and information sharing
  • Intelligence / Investigative services
  • Secret services

Emergency management

Emergency services include:

Justice

Judicial services include:

  • Courts
    • Judges
    • Juries
    • Lawyers and advocates
  • Forensic
  • Justice ministry
  • Prisons

Interior services include:

  • Border and port authorities
  • Coast guard
  • Customer services

Organizations

See also
  • Homeland security
  • Justice
  • Law enforcement
  • Public safety
  • Societal security

References
  1. http://cradpdf.drdc-rddc.gc.ca/PDFS/unc131/p538238_A1b.pdf
  2. https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
  3. http://www.psba.qld.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
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