A brief history of the security industry in the United States

The modem security services industry - guarding, investigations, alarm monitoring and armored courier - evolved in the United States during the second half of the nineteenth century. By the mid-1990s the industry represents almost three times the number of personnel employed as those in local, state and federal law enforcement combined. The efforts to create uniform standards in the industry have been uneven. Historical antecedents for major industrial components are discussed. Problems and opportunities are identified.