The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have brought the issue of security to the forefront of American minds. This book addresses many of the questions Americans have about the privatization of policing, including questions about the legal authority of private police and the constitutional protections afforded to private police. In order to explore these issues, the author offers a case study on private policing in one Chicago community. The case study methodology involved interviews, document research, and ride-alongs with private police officers on their patrols. The key argument of the book notes that if government agents, specifically the public police forces, are unable to provide adequate protection from crime, citizens will turn to private security. Chapter 1 examines the tension inherent between liberty and security in America, focusing on a discussion of the concepts of personal security and constitutional rights. Chapter 2 turns to a discussion of the characteristics and functions of private and public police while chapter 3 addresses the history of policing and the advent of public police. Chapter 4 focuses on the emergence of private policing and analyzes the reasons for its current state of prominence in the public safety industry. Chapter 5 examines court decisions pertaining to the use of police powers by private security personnel and describes the tests that have been created to extend constitutional protections to private police officers. Chapter 6 presents examples of private security patrols from around the country and chapter 7 describes the case study concerning the actual work of private police officers during their patrols. Finally, chapter 8 considers the future of private policing in America. The author contends that the importance and impact of private policing will only continue to grow, particularly in terms of providing security in public areas. Appendixes, notes, bibliography, index