Typical in any discussion of the industry is the lack of reliable facts and figures. At the same time, there is a strong demand for this kind of information. This discourse aims to fill this gap by comparing the size of the private-security sector, the turnover, and regulation between European and non-European countries. The article deals with five major themes. First, a short description of the private-security industry in the Netherlands is provided. Second, international comparisons are presented to assess the size of the industry with reference to the 15 European Union countries and 12 non-European Union countries. Regarding the latter category, some information on recent developments is presented. Third, this article compares the order of magnitude and ranking of personnel between the security industry and the public police within and outside the European Union. Also, information and data on the quality of the industry and police effectiveness are provided. Fourth, an overview is provided on the regulation of the private-security industry in the European Union. Finally, the article presents general conclusions and some perspectives on the future of the private-security industry. 9 tables and 38 references