Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the impacts of private policing within an urban area

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) provide essential jobs, goods and services contributing to social and economic stability within their neighbourhoods. Crime threatens the stability of SMEs and is one of the leading reasons these businesses fail. Using semi-structured interviews with 38 businesses located in five different neighbourhoods throughout Detroit, this study explores SMEs perspectives on the impact of private policing. Findings from the data highlight three important themes: First, the ways in which SMEs use private policing services varies according to their location within the city and their proximity to larger corporations; Second, there are certain services that are used by SMEs irrespective of their location within the city, and the rationale for how these services are used is the same across businesses; Third, public-private law enforcement partnerships can greatly benefit SMEs, but such partnerships are most effective when they include the private police forces of larger corporations.