Los Angeles Abandons Public Safety, Residents Face Financial Burden Instead
In the heart of Los Angeles, a shift towards privatized security and firefighting services is becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly in the city's affluent areas.
During the recent fires, private security officers were hired to prevent looting, while private firefighters were tasked with saving houses and businesses when public firefighters were unable to due to the Santa Ynez reservoir running empty, dry fire hydrants, and other bureaucratic failures.
The surge in private services comes as crime in L.A. is reportedly spiking. Anecdotally, incidents such as a homeless man harassing a writer and a woman with a black eye reporting an assault have been noted. The merely wealthy in five neighborhoods where Patrol operates are living in an increasingly anarcho-capitalist order, hiring private police and private firefighters, while the poor are left to suffer.
The launch of Patrol was available in five ritzy L.A. neighborhoods: Bel Air, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills, and Malibu. The service, described as sounding like Blackwater, primarily employs security guards and private firefighters, with some ex-Mossad personnel.
Wealthy residents pay a significant portion of their income in taxes, yet the government fails to provide adequate policing, fire control, education, or public safety. Consequently, homeowners are turning to services like Patrol, which allows them to book off-duty cops to patrol their homes and neighbourhoods.
The Hollywood Reporter published an article titled "Mercenaries for Millionaires: Inside the Private Army That Protects L.A.'s Rich and Famous." The article delves into the world of these private security contractors, shedding light on the growing trend of privatized security in the city.
Last week, the city of Malibu hosted a "Protect Your Property Security Workshop" with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Malibu/Lost Hills Station as co-host. The sheriff's office has partnered with the local government to teach residents how to protect themselves due to the government's inadequacies.
On June 24, 2025, Protector, an app named "Uber with guns," launched in Los Angeles and New York. The app, which allows users to book private security services, has been labelled as "dystopian" by Futurism.
The Real-Time Crime Index shows that violent crimes in Los Angeles County increased from 11,210 in January 2022 to 12,893 in January 2023, and the current 12-month total is 12,172 as of June 2025. Property crimes peaked in June 2024 at 61,456 for the trailing 12 months, and as of May 2025, the equivalent number is 56,524.
The ultra-wealthy live in gated neighborhoods like Beverly Park, where houses must be larger than 5,000 square feet. About a dozen of the writer's elementary and high school classmates and friends lost their homes. On NextDoor, some residents discussed hiring private security services for their neighbourhoods.
As of April, Palisades High was holding classes at an old Sears building in downtown Santa Monica. The city's struggles with public safety and infrastructure are evident, leading many to question the effectiveness of current governmental systems.
In mid-May, the Malibu City Council voted to spend $260,000 a month to hire private security guards to prevent homes from being burglarized. The move follows a trend of wealthy neighbourhoods considering private security services, with the writer's parents' street being one of them.
The rise of privatized security and firefighting services in Los Angeles raises questions about social inequality and the role of government in ensuring public safety. As the city grapples with these issues, it remains to be seen how this trend will evolve in the future.
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