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CITIZEN PERCEPTION OF
PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS IN
MALMÖ
TOBIAS BENGTSSON
Degree project in criminology Malmö University 61-90 hp Faculty of health and society May 2015 Department of criminology 205 06 Malmö
2
ALLMÄNHETENS UPPFATTNING
AV VÄKTARE I MALMÖ
TOBIAS BENGTSSON
Bengtsson, T. Allmänhetens Uppfattning av Väktare i Malmö. Examensarbete i
kriminologi 15/30 högskolepoäng. Malmö högskola: Fakulteten för hälsa och
samhälle, institutionen för kriminologi, 2015.
Trots en markant ökning av vaktpersonal i privat regi under de senaste
decennierna finns det inte mycket empirisk forskning om allmänhetens
uppfattning av väktare. I detta arbete undersöks malmöbornas tillit till och
tillfredställelse med väktare och syftet med studien är att får en inblick i
allmänhetens inställning till vaktpersonal. Enkäter delades ut i Malmö med frågor
angående upplevd tillit till väktare, tillfredställelse med väktare samt frågor om
respondenternas uppfattning av väktares professionalitet, ansvarskyldighet,
framställning och artighet. Urvalet bestod av 78 respondenter och resultaten tyder
på att den allmänna uppfattningen av vaktpersonal är mer positiv än negativ.
Upplevd professionalitet hos väktare påverkade tillit till väktare och upplevd
artighet hos väktare påverkade tillfredställelse med väktare. Hur man upplevt
väktares beteende vid personlig kontakt visa sig påverka uppfattningen av både
tillit till och tillfredställelse med vaktpersonal. Studier om allmänhetens
uppfattning av vaktpersonal kan användas i utbildande syfte för vaktbolag för att
påverka väktares beteende och agerande mot allmänheten. Ökad kännedom av
allmänhetens inställning till vaktpersonal är även relevant för politiker i deras
ställningstagande av framtida reglering av den privata säkerhetsindustrin.
Nyckelord: privata vaktbolag, väktare, allmänhetens uppfattning av väktare,
allmänhetens tillit till väktare, allmänhetens tillfredställelses med väktare, Malmö.
3
CITIZEN PERCEPTION OF
PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS IN
MALMÖ
TOBIAS BENGTSSON
Bengtsson, T. Citizen Perception of Private Security Guards in Malmö. Degree
project in criminology 15/30 högskolepoäng. Malmö University: Faculty of health
and society, Department of criminology, 2015.
Despite the rapid increase in private security guards in recent decades, little is
known about citizens’ perception of security guards. In this paper citizens’ trust
and satisfaction with security guards is assessed. The aim of the study is to get an
insight into citizens’ perception of private security guards in Malmö. Paper and
pencil surveys were distributed in Malmö with questions regarding perceived trust
and satisfaction with security guards and about security guards’ professionalism,
accountability, imagery, and civility. The sample consisted of 78 respondents and
the findings suggest that the overall perception of security guards was more
positive than negative, however, the results were largely mixed. Perceived
professionalism predicted satisfaction with security guards and perceived civility
predicted trust in security guards. Also, security guard behavior while interacting
with the public was a strong predictor of both trust and satisfaction with security
personnel. Results from this study and similar studies can be used by private
security organizations to educate staff in order to improve the public perception of
security guards. It may also be useful for policy makers in order to make more
educated decisions about future regulation of the private security industry.
Keywords: Private security, security guards, citizen perception of security guards,
citizen trust in security guards, citizen satisfaction with security guards, Malmö.
4
Contents
Background/introduction ......................................................................................... 5
Purpose of study ................................................................................................... 6
Research questions ........................................................................................... 6
The emergence of private security ....................................................................... 7
Private security in Sweden ................................................................................... 8
Reasons for criminological interest in the private security industry ................... 9
The relevance of public perception ................................................................ 11
Citizen perception of law enforcement .......................................................... 13
Former research ................................................................................................. 14
Methodology .......................................................................................................... 17
Sample ............................................................................................................... 18
Dependent variables ........................................................................................... 18
Independent variables ........................................................................................ 18
Analysis ............................................................................................................. 19
Cronbach’s alpha ........................................................................................... 19
Data treatment ................................................................................................ 20
ANOVA ......................................................................................................... 20
Ordinary least square ..................................................................................... 21
Ethical considerations ........................................................................................ 21
Results .................................................................................................................... 21
Descriptive variables .......................................................................................... 21
Contact variables ................................................................................................ 22
Findings on citizen’s perception of security guards .......................................... 23
Analysis of variance ........................................................................................... 25
Ordinary least square ......................................................................................... 27
Discussion and Conclusion .................................................................................... 28
Results ................................................................................................................ 29
Limitations ......................................................................................................... 31
Future research ................................................................................................... 32
References .............................................................................................................. 33
Appendices ............................................................................................................. 37
Appendix 1. ........................................................................................................ 37
Appendix 2. ........................................................................................................ 38
Appendix 3. ........................................................................................................ 40
5
BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION
This paper is dealing with the private security industry, which is gaining
increasing financial strength, political power as well as an increased public
presence. The private security industry is a multi-billion euro industry, hiring
hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and the sector is projected to grow
steadily in the years to come (Abrahamsen & Williams, 2007; Krahmann, 2011;
Wakefiled, 2003). In Europe alone the total yearly turnover of the industry was 35
billion euros in 2011 and in that same year the total number of security companies
in Europe was 52 300 (Confederation of European Security Services, 2011). In
addition, the average market growth per year was 13, 5 percent between the years
2005-2011 (ibid.).
For the first 150 years of policing, the state police was the only actor providing
security to the public. However, over the past 50 to 60 years the world has
experienced a massive increase in private security solutions (Abrahamsen &
Williams, 2009; Gill & White, 2011; White, 2012). Europe and most of the
western world has according to Wakefield (2003) felt a greater demand for
security and also a declining faith in law enforcements’ ability to prevent crime
(Wakefield, 2003). This has led to a diffusion of formal social control (ibid). In
this paper social control refers to organized responses to crime, delinquency, and
other forms of deviant and socially problematic behavior, which is Stanley
Cohen’s interpretation of the term (as cited in Wakefield, 2003). Additionally,
private security has become a prominent actor in the field of policing, resulting in
a rapid increase in employment of security guards on a global scale (Wakefield,
2003). Policing and governance of security has therefore become more
decentralized. Private security officers are also becoming more police-like in their
responsibilities and the uniforms of many companies in the sector resemble those
of the police (Button, 2007).
However, the expansion of private security has not occurred without public
resistance, despite the fact that there seems to be a greater demand for security in
society (Wakefield, 2003; Button, 2007). Since the police historically have had a
monopoly on policing, the increased presence of private security measures and the
6
public/private collaboration have been criticized in several societies (Button,
2007).
In order to make the transition of social control smoother and to increase their
own authority, private security organizations tries to create strong bonds with the
police (Abrahamsen & Williams, 2007). This is also to influence societal norms
regarding private security and the increased presence of security guards. One
common strategy to close the gap between public and private among private
security organizations is to openly hire former police officers as well as former
military personnel (ibid.).
In this paper the private security industry refers to companies and organizations
that have security guards, alarm systems, closed circuit television cameras
(CCTV), risk management, and risk consultancy as their main products and
services (Abrahamsen & Williams 2009). The costumer base of these
organizations consists of national and international organizations, governments,
and private citizens (ibid.). Wakefield (2003) makes a distinction between
‘manned’ security services and the provision of security hardware services. The
latter refers to technological security solutions while the former refers to the
provision of security guards (ibid.). The focus in this paper, however, will be on
the ‘manned’ or ‘staffed’ security services since citizens’ satisfaction and trust in
security guards is what will be assessed.
Purpose of study The purpose of this study is to assess the public opinion of private security guards
in Malmö. The aim is to get an insight into the level of satisfaction and trust
citizens in Malmö have of private security guards.
Research questions What level of trust and satisfaction do citizens in Malmö have of private security
guards?
Which factors affect the level of perceived trust and satisfaction with private
security guards?
7
The emergence of private security Relatively few criminologists have focused their research on the emergence of the
private security industry. Most research related to the topic has been directed to
the private military aspect of these companies, which is likely due to the highly
political nature of the topic (Zedner, 2007).
For the social scientists that have focused on the phenomenon, political and
economic factors have been in the center of the debate. The fall of welfare states
across the western world and the decreased investment in the public sector has
according to White (2011) resulted in a security vacuum that the police could not
fill. During the 1970 s and the 1980s many advanced democratic states did, due to
financial constraints on public spending, no longer keep up with the demand for
domestic security. White (2011) explains that the public demand for domestic
security was driven by increasing crime rates, which resulted in a security deficit.
This supply deficit or security vacuum was filled by private security companies
(Button, 2007; White, 2011). Also, increased individualism in society, which
encourages individuals to provide their own security to a larger extent, has been
stressed as a contributing factor to the expansion of the sector (Button, 2007).
Abrahamsen & Williams (2007) describe an important global shift in the way
societies view crime. During the 1970s the attitudes and norms regarding crime
were that it was a product of poverty and the social environment. This “welfarist”
view of crime started to change in the 1980s and was replaced by a more
“economic” view of crime, which focused more on rational calculations by the
criminal as well as the opportunity to commit crime. These changes in norms and
crime policy have been crucial for the rapid expansion of the private security
sector (Abrahamsen & Williams, 2007).
Berndtsson (2011) and Krahmann (2011) associate the expansion of the sector
with Ulrich Beck’s theory of the risk society in which the society produces new
technology as well as greater risks. Beck’s theory describes both actual and
perceived risks, both of which are capitalized on by private security companies.
The sense of greater risks in society encourages private citizens, governments, and
businesses to discuss, calculate and strive to mitigate risks to a larger extent
(ibid.). In this type of society security expertise and security guards working with
8
risk mitigation are of great importance. According to Berndtsson (2011) private
security is where an increasing number of organizations, governments and private
citizens turn to with the objective of mitigating risks. Abrahamsen & Williams
(2007) explain the growth of private security largely by the sector’s unique ability
to create its own market. By reminding people of the risks, both actual and
subjective, private security companies create a demand for security- expertise,
personnel and technology (Abrahamsen & Williams 2007; Berndtsson; 2011;
Krahmann, 2011; Wakefield, 2003). Krahmann (2011) refers to this as the
industry advertisement of fear.
Additionally, according to Abrahamsen & Williams (2007) and Wakefield (2003)
property rights have gained greater social power and this has been beneficial for
private policing both regarding their authority as well as their financial gain.
Competition in the industry together with increased efficiency and globalization
of the flow of capital has made a transnational expansion possible. It is mainly the
larger actors in the sector that move to the international market (Abrahamsen &
Williams, 2007; Abrahamsen & Williams, 2009; Button, 2007; Wakefield, 2003)
The larger private security organizations have due to their size, resources, and
economic growth become important actors in the nations in which they operate.
Their economic importance has also resulted in political influence (Abrahamsen
& Williams, 2007). The largest private security firm in the business
Group4Secure (G4S), operates in 120 countries and has a total of 618 000
employees (Group4Secure, 2015). Not only is G4S the largest company in the
business, it is one of the largest private employers in the world (ibid.).
Private security in Sweden According to the confederation of European security services (CoESS), the
number of security guards in Sweden in 2010 was 20 000 and there were 250
private security companies operating in the country (Confederation of European
Security Services, 2011). The same year CoESS reported that the private security
sector has more employees than the state police in Sweden. The ratio of security
guard per population in 2010 was 1/467, whereas the ratio of police officer per
population was 1/552 (ibid.). Considering the annual growth of the sector, which
has ranged between an increase of five and seven percent per year over the last ten
9
years, there is reason to believe that security guards outnumber police officers in
Sweden by an even greater margin in 2015 (ibid.).
However, it is problematic to find accurate and reliable statistics about the private
security industry (Van Steden & Nalla, 2010). It is a sector with fierce
competition and many organizations are due to commercial reasons hesitant to
disclose information about their number of employees, turnover, and their market
share (ibid.)
Sweden’s private security sector is regulated by the Security Companies Act,
which was enacted in1974 (Svenska stöldskyddsföreningen, 2008). The areas of
the sector which are specifically covered by law are general guarding, airport
security, cash-in-transit, maritime security, and monitoring and remote
surveillance (ibid.). The law was passed in order for the government to ensure a
certain standard of performance by private security companies. Therefore the
police administrative board regulates the industry and the county administrative
board supervises the industry regarding approval of the authorization of security
personnel, training/education, equipment, and uniforms (ibid.).
Reasons for criminological interest in the private security industry As mentioned earlier, considering the growth to date, the projected continued
growth as well as the increased presence of the private security industry in
society, it ought to be a field of strong criminological interest, especially
regarding situational crime prevention. Nonetheless, criminologists have largely
disregarded research of private policing, as Wakefiled (2003) puts it;
“While private security is no longer a subject that languishes on a
forgotten scholarly back burner, it remains surprisingly under-researched”
(Wakefield, pp: xvii, 2003).
Furthermore, the shift in security norms and the rapid expansion of the private
security sector calls for a change in the way criminologists and other social
scientists view crime prevention and crime control (Zedner, 2007). Security norms
have shifted towards more individualism, where the public to a larger degree is
empowered to secure their own interests (Button, 2007; Wakefield, 2003; Zedner,
10
2007). Regardless of philosophical or political view of the increase in security
officers in particular, and expansion of the private security sector in general, the
average citizen is equally as likely, if not more likely, to come in contact with
private security guards as police officers (Moreira et al, 2015). Zedner (2007)
discusses the issue further by problematizing whether criminology, which
generally can be considered a post-crime discipline, can adapt to a world that to
larger extent focuses on security, and what can be referred to as a pre-crime
society. In a post crime society the society tends to react to the crime after it has
occurred (ibid.). Conversely, in a pre-crime society the aim is to foresee and
prevent crime before it has occurred. Thereby calculations, risk assessments, and
surveillance are relevant aspects of the pre-crime society (ibid.). In this type of
society security is a product or a service that can be sold for a profit on an open
market, and is generally provided by the most efficient actors in the field
(Abrahamsen & Williams 2007; Zedner 2007; Wakefield, 2003).
There are, however, branches of criminology that focus on situational prevention,
which are adapted to what Zedner (2007) refers to as the pre-crime society.
Various criminological theories deriving from rational choice theory are intended
to deter offenders from crime before the crime has occurred. Routine activity
theory, which was developed by Felson & Cohen (1979), is one of them.
According to the theory, crime will not occur unless there is a motivated offender,
a suitable target, and the lack of a capable guardian (ibid.). Since capable
guardians can be for instance police officers, security guards, alarm systems, and
CCTV cameras the theory is highly compatible with the trends in crime policy. It
is important to stress that situational prevention is attractive to implement by
policy makers, since it is often viewed by the public as a hands on tactic to
decrease criminal activity (Cornish, 1993). Many other criminological theories
focus on indirect factors or background factors of crime, such as poverty, which
are often more difficult to influence by policy makers.
These trends in crime policy have made the field of policing more proactive,
which in turn has created vast opportunities for private security and the
implementation of security guards. Thus criminology as a scientific discipline
should analyze crime prevention and formal social control in the context of
contemporary societies, in which private security plays an increasing role.
11
The relevance of public perception The expansion of the private security sector and the global increase in security
guards has not occurred in a social vacuum. The private security industry does not
have an ideal reputation, regardless of their rapid growth and financial success
(Van Steden & Nalla, 2010). The competence of security guards has often been
criticized and their profession is regularly portrayed as low paid and inadequately
trained (Hart & Livingstone, 2003; Van Steden & Nalla, 2010). According to Hart
& Livingstone (2003) the occupation is also portrayed as tainted with corruption
and poor performance. Critique of this nature is frequently brought up in studies
of the qualities and shortcomings of security guards and the private security
industry (Van Steden & Nalla, 2010).
Furthermore, Moreira et al (2015) describe an overall negative description, and a
negative stereotype of private security guards in the media and by popular culture.
This certainly affects the image of security personnel negatively. Additionally,
investment in private security solutions is largely considered to be driven by low
prices instead of high quality and this may also have a negative effect on the
status of security guards (Goold et al, 2010; Mulone, 2013). In order to gain more
knowledge regarding societal norms of security officers, it is of great relevance to
research citizens’ perception of private security officers and possible reasons why
the public has certain perceptions of the profession.
In the security industry, authority is central to effective performance and the
authority of an industry has an effect on the regulation of the industry (Button,
2007; Hart & Livingstone, 2003; Moreira et al, 2015). Authority is not something
that can be created by the security industry itself and neither can policymakers
directly create authority for an industry. Instead it is created in relation to public
norms (Abrahamsen & Williams, 2007).
“This view of authority takes account of its socially constructed nature, that is,
its dependence on an audience or society whose norms and values recognise
certain persons, institutions or statements as authoritative. In this way, authority
is an effect, rather than an entity” (Abrahamsen & Williams, 2007, s. 241).
12
Thus private security organizations can benefit from more precise knowledge of
the way the public view security guards. Negative opinions about their work may
result in lower authority and status in the eyes of private citizens. This can have
negative effects on legitimization of the private security sector as a whole.
Moreover, data about citizens’ perception of private security guards is highly
relevant for governments since they are the regulators of the private security
sector and also a customer (Moreira et al, 2015; Van Steden & Nalla, 2010). Due
to the fact that governments do contract private security officers, the industry
plays an increasing role in protecting public interests. In addition, policy makers
must have a sense of the public opinion regarding security guards due to their
increased presence and increased contact with citizens (Moreira et al 2015). With
a clearer picture of citizens’ confidence in security guards, more effective
decisions can be made regarding for example the regulation of private security
(Shearing et al, 1985).
Also, one should not forget that citizens are the recipients of private security and
their opinions can help steer the industry in a positive direction. Hence the present
study and similar research can also be used to provide improved services from
private security organizations, by way of educating security guards to act and
perform in a more satisfactory and reliable manner in citizens’ view. The public is
a beneficiary of more effective and more costumer oriented work by security
personnel, and it may enhance citizens’ sense of security (Van Steden & Nalla
2010).
Lastly, the phenomenon of a global increase in the number of security guards has
been heavily criticized since it according to several scientists follow the logic of
the market instead of the logic of the public good (Abrahamsen & Williams, 2007;
Berndtsson, 2011; Button, 2007). While law enforcements’ role in society is to
protect and serve all citizens regardless of status and financial situation, private
security services are largely directed towards property owners and businesses that
are willing and capable to finance costumed security solutions (Abrahamsen &
Williams, 2007). In relation to this, it is not difficult to draw the conclusion that
increased implementation of private security in society may result in an uneven
distribution of security. Thus the development of the private security industry may
13
create potential opportunities for states and nations but it may also create
problems such as increased inequalities. However, the present study is conducted
with the intention to shed light on the public perception of security guards in
Malmö, and whether the development of the industry is favorable or not is beyond
the scope of this paper.
Citizen perception of law enforcement One out of the many scientists who have researched citizens’ satisfaction with the
police is W. G. Skogan (2005). He concluded that the major determinant of public
satisfaction with law enforcement was police behavior when interacting with the
public (ibid.). These factors include policemen and policewomen being polite, fair
and willing to explain the reason for their involvement (ibid.). It was also
concluded that the behavior of the police towards the public was linked to social
factors such as age, race and linguistic capabilities. Another major study on the
subject by Cheurprakobkit and Bartsch (2001) suggested that professional
knowledge, professional conduct, honesty, and fairness were more strongly
related to high citizen satisfaction with police officers than politeness,
friendliness, and helpfulness.
One might argue that research on public satisfaction with the police and security
guards are of marginal importance and that their effectiveness and efficiency is
where all focus should be concentrated. Conversely, in a study by Tyler (2004), it
was found that a more positive public perception of the police made the work of
the police more effective. People who had a positive view of law enforcement
were more likely to comply with orders or requests by the police (ibid.). It was
also found that individuals who felt disrespected by the police showed less
compliance with police orders. A study by Sunshine & Tyler (2003) also found
that police behavior influence people’s willingness to obey the law, even when
officers are not present.
These findings may or may not be applicable to security guards, nonetheless, it no
longer makes sense to solely focus the research on public attitudes towards the
police when large private actors are increasingly present in the field of policing in
today’s society. In many nations, including Sweden as previously mentioned,
private security guards outnumber the police. In England for instance the ratio of
14
police officer per population is 1/382 and the ratio of security guard per
population is 1/170 (Confederation of European Security Services, 2011). Poland
is another European example where the number of security guards per citizen is
more than double the number of people working in the police force per citizen
(ibid.).
Former research As mentioned, in relation to law enforcement, the private security industry is
under-researched and the topic of citizen perception of security guards is no
exception. Prior research findings on the topic of citizens’ perception of security
guards have showed mixed results. However, generally research show that the
public has a more positive image of security guards than the one often portrayed
by the media and popular culture.
Shearing et al. (1985) conducted the first major study with the intent to increase
the knowledge of citizens’ perception of private security guards. The study found
that the opinion of security guards in the sample was based on the behavior and
personality of the guards, rather than the imagery of the industry in popular
culture. The research was based on data from interviews from a sample of 209
respondents in Canada (ibid.). A more recent study on the subject was made in the
United States in 2002 with a sample of 631 university students (Nalla & Heraux,
2003). The outcome showed a more a positive perception of private security
guards than projected. Close to half of the students reported that they trust security
guards to protect their lives and property, and two thirds reported that they believe
that security personnel are helpful and that their profession is stressful and
dangerous. Conversely, only 17 percent believed that security guards are well
educated and only 35 percent believed that security guards are professional (Nalla
& Heraux, 2003). In addition, the research showed that females reported a more
positive perception of security guards than males. Also, individuals who had had
encounters with security guards reported more negative opinions of the profession
(ibid.). Having friends or family in security did not affect the perception of
security guards according to the study (ibid.). In accordance with studies of citizen
satisfaction of the police, the independent variables race, income, and
employment had moderate effects on the reported satisfaction with security guards
(Nalla & Heraux, 2003; Skogan, 2005; Tyler, 2004). For instance, middle class
15
respondents and white respondents held a more negative perception of security
guards than minorities and upper and lower class respondents (Nalla & Heraux,
2003).
Two studies conducted in Asia showed positive results regarding citizen
satisfaction and trust in private security (Nalla & Lim, 2003; Nalla & Hwang,
2004). One study took place in Singapore in 2003 and the other Asian study took
place in South Korea in 2004 (ibid.). In Singapore 260 students participated in the
study and close to 70 percent of the sample reported that they believe private
security guards together with the police reduce crime and make society safer
(Nalla & Lim, 2003). Circa half of the students found the guards helpful and, in
contrast with the study in Canada, interaction with security guards improved the
level of reported satisfaction on a general level (ibid.). The study indicated that
the Singaporean student sample holds an overall positive perception of the
professionalism, image, role, and the nature of security work (ibid.).
In South Korea the sample also consisted of students and the respondents
generally reported positive opinions regarding the politeness and the overall
interaction with clients (Nalla & Hwang, 2004). It was also reported that most
respondents felt that security guards were not compensated enough for their work
and younger respondents and females were found to have a more positive
perception of security officers (ibid.). In accordance with the study in Singapore,
the students believed that security workers collaborated effectively with the police
and that their work reduced criminal activity (Nalla & Lim, 2003; Nalla &
Hwang, 2004). However, contrary to the students’ perception in Singapore, the
South Korean students held negative views of the professionalism of security
personnel (Nalla & Hwang, 2004).
Nalla et al. (2006) found different results in a similar study in Slovenia with a
sample of 509 university students. The perception of security guards was overall
negative and the students reported that security personnel exhibit low
professionalism and they believed that security guards had a low level of
education (ibid.). In addition, security guards were thought to be helpful to their
clients but not to the general public (ibid.). The study divided the sample between
16
criminal justice majors and other students but found no significant differences
between the groups regarding the overall results (ibid.).
A study from the Netherlands by Van Steden and Nalla (2010) with a sample of
428 respondents showed that 50 percent of the sample found private security
guards to be helpful, and that they handle situations courteously. Overall their
view of security personnel’s conduct was satisfactory (ibid.). However, only 20
percent of the sample reported that they have trust in security guards’ ability to
protect lives and property. Additionally, only 30 percent of the respondents
reported confidence in security guards’ ability to handle complex situations, and
only 30 percent believed that Dutch security guards have adequate training. Also,
37 percent reported that they believe guards to have a low level of education
(ibid.). The results in this study were neither overly positive nor negative, but the
overall results showed more positive attitudes than negative.
Indian research suggests positive attitudes toward private security guards
regarding trust, professionalism, and imagery. Close to two thirds of sample (64
percent) stated that security work is dangerous, 71 percent stated that security
guards are professional, and 61 percent reported trust in security guards to protect
their lives and property. There was also significantly higher reported satisfaction
of the work of security professionals by younger respondents and females (Nalla
et al, 2013). The most recent study on the topic was made in Portugal 2013 by
Moreira et al. (2015) with 163 respondents from the city of Porto. The research
found that 61 percent of the sample reported satisfaction with security guards and
63 percent stated that they believe the job is dangerous. Conversely, only 32
percent thought that security work is complex and only 41 percent expressed trust
in security guards to protect their lives and property (ibid.). Again, younger
respondents and females reported more positive attitudes towards security
officers.
Lastly, overall citizens have reported ambivalent opinions of private security
guards and studies in different nations have showed different results. Therefore it
is difficult to draw any general conclusions from the combined prior research,
however, females and younger individuals appear to generally report more trust
and higher satisfaction with private security guards.
17
METHODOLOGY
For this research a quantitative survey was developed in order to answer the
research questions (see appendix 2), which concern citizen trust and satisfaction
with security guards in Malmö. In total the survey contained 26 questions and the
survey instrument was heavily influenced by similar surveys constructed by Nalla
& Heraux (2003), Van Steden and Nalla (2010), and Nalla et al (2015). However
a number of questions were left out since they were not relevant to the study at
hand. The questions which were excluded were one demographic question
regarding race and four questions regarding security guard’s collaboration with
the police. The survey questions that were chosen were considered to be
sufficiently related to satisfaction with and trust in security personnel. The
reasoning behind basing the survey on surveys previously used in other studies
was the value in comparing and contrasting the results as well as to increase the
validity.
In order to reach more people and to increase both validity and reliability of the
survey instrument, circa 90 percent of the questionnaires (70) were written in
English and translated into Swedish. Circa 10 percent of the surveys (10) were
written in English and never translated since many inhabitants in Malmö do not
speak Swedish, or do not speak Swedish well enough to fill out a relatively
linguistically complicated survey.
Paper and pencil questionnaires were handed out on two different occasions in
May 2015, in Malmö. The questionnaires were handed out on weekdays between
noon and late afternoon, which may have influenced the sample. Citizens were
approached and informed about the purpose and the nature of the study as well as
the conditions of participation. Only adults were asked to participate in the study
and participation was contingent on verbal consent. Data were gathered at
Värnhemstorget and Gustav Adolfs torg. The two locations were chosen since
they are two major squares in Malmö, which are open to the public and often busy
during the day.
18
Sample The sample in the present research consists of 78 participants. The study is a small
scale research which was limited by time and resources, and this is evident in the
size of the sample. According to Denscombe (2009) survey research on a smaller
scale generally consist of between 30 and 250 respondents. The study may not be
a representable sample for the entire population in Malmö, due to the low number
of participants. Therefor one should be cautious of drawing any generalizable
conclusions from the findings. However, with the lack of previous research on the
field, a smaller sample may suffice as a first insight into citizens’ perception of
security guards in Malmö, which can give indication of the public opinion.
Dependent variables
The dependent variables for this research were the statements ‘Citizens can
generally trust security guards to protect lives and property’ and ‘Generally I am
satisfied with the way security guards conduct themselves’. Respondents may
report trust in security guards but not report satisfaction with their work and vice
versa, therefore the dependent variables were constructed into two separate
statements. These two statements were answered on a Likert scale ranging from 1
to 5, where 1 equals strongly disagree and 5 equals strongly agree.
Independent variables
As for the independent variables, the respondents had to answer several questions
about their perception of the professionalism, the imagery, the civility, and the
accountability of security officers as well as the characterization of their contact
with security officers, if any. Similar to the dependent variables, these statements
were answered on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, where 1 equals strongly
disagree and 5 equals strongly agree. The perception of security guard’s
professionalism was measured by the three statements ‘Security guards are well
educated’, ‘Security officers, in general, are able to handle complex situations’,
and ‘Security officers are well trained’. The statements dealing with citizen’s
perception of the imagery of security guards were ‘Security work is complex’,
‘Security work is dangerous’, and ‘Security guards run a high risk of getting
injured in the course of their work’. Additionally, the three statements about the
accountability of security guards were ‘Existing laws are adequate to control the
activity of security guards’, ‘Existing supervision of the work of security guards is
19
effective to prevent abuses of power and other offenses’, and ‘Security guards are
held accountable when they abuse their power or other offenses’. Last, the three
statements regarding civility were ‘Security guards are generally helpful’,
‘Security guards, in general, are sensitive to the public, and ‘Security guards
handle calls for assistance with politeness’.
Moreover, the survey also includes a number or demographic questions regarding
age, marital status, education, income, and property ownership status. These
variables were added in order to find possible mean differences in the reported
trust in and satisfaction with private security guards within the demographic
variables. In addition, the survey contains a question of whether the respondent
has had any type of personal contact with a security guard as well as a question
about having family or friends working in security. The question about personal
contact was followed by enquiries regarding the experience as well as the
behavior of the security guard.
The reason for enquiring whether the respondents have friends or family working
in the security industry was due to the potential bias towards the industry these
individuals may have. The variable regarding security guard contact was added
since it is relevant to this particular study to assess if personal contact with
security guards affects the perceived trust in and satisfaction with security guards.
Analysis
Cronbach’s alpha As previously mentioned, the independent variables were divided into four
different subgroups. Cronbach’s alpha test is a measure to assess the reliability of
the indexed items and it assesses the internal consistency or the average
correlation of the indexed scales (Field, 2013). In other words Cronbach’s alpha is
a measure of the reliability of the variables used for analysis of the underlying
construct, which in this case were professionalism, imagery, accountability, and
sensitivity. The scale ranges from 0 to 1, and results over 0.7 are considered to
indicate a sufficient reliability and correlation between the variables (ibid.).
Cronbach’s alpha in the present study showed moderate to strong internal
consistency since the scores ranged from 0.73 and 0.88. This indicates that the
items were statistically coherent and therefore theoretically sound.
20
Data treatment Dependent and independent variables listed on Likert scales were computed from
five categories into three categories in order to simplify the overview of the
statistical display. The categories ‘strongly disagree’ and ‘disagree’ (coded 1 and
2) to the perception statements were computed into one category. Also, the
categories ‘strongly agree’ and ‘agree’ (coded 4 and 5) were computed into one
category, whereas ‘neutral’ (coded 3) remained unchanged.
To answer the research questions, the percentages and the number of respondents
who reported their attitudes to the various statements were presented in a table,
which also displayed the mean and the standard deviation. This in order to
measure the level of trust in and satisfaction with security guards that the sample
reported as well as the perception of professionalism, imagery, accountability and
sensitivity of security guards.
ANOVA In order to compare mean scores of the perception of security officers, depending
on demographic characteristics and contact variables, analysis of variance
(ANOVA) was conducted (Field, 2013).The ANOVA test measures if the
different mean scores of two or more variables differ significantly (ibid.).
Generally, as a matter of good scientific practice, the limit for statistical
significance is 0.05, meaning that there is only a 5 percent probability of
observing an effect, at least as extreme as the observation, due to chance (ibid.).
The present study is an exploratory study and even less significant mean variances
were of interest, therefore also significance at the level of 0.1 and lower were
noted. It is important to remember that significance testing is directly related to
the size of the sample and the same effect will have different significance values
in different sized samples. A small difference may be considered significant in a
large sample and a large difference can be deemed insignificant in a small sample
(Field, 2013). Since this study is based on a small sample the mentioned
significance level was chosen.
Before analyzing the significance in the ANOVA table Levene’s test of equality
of variance was analyzed. This test measures the variance within the groups. If the
p-value in Levene’s test is over 0.05 the variance within the groups are considered
21
normally distributed (Field, 2013). All variables in this study displayed a normally
distributed variance.
Ordinary least square In order to assess the relationship between the constructs of professionalism,
imagery, accountability, and sensitivity and the dependent variables trust in and
satisfaction with security officers, ordinary least square (OLS) regression was
employed. Before performing the OLS regression and analyzing the results, the
three questions associated with the respective construct were computed into one
variable. Thereby each construct ranged from 3 to 15, since each question related
to the construct ranged from 1 to 5.
Ethical considerations The survey includes questions about age, education, income, and perception of
security guards, which can be considered sensitive information. Thus it is
important to inform the respondents of the purpose of the study, the anonymity of
participation as well the confidentiality of the gathered data. In all forms of
research the purpose or the benefit of the research must be contrasted and
evaluated against the potential harm for the participants (Mellgren & Tiby, 2014).
In the present study the potential harm for participants is not significant since this
quantitative survey research is anonymous with closed multiple choice questions.
The respondents, as citizens of Malmö, are potential beneficiaries of a research of
this nature since the gathered data can serve to increase the knowledge of citizens’
perception of private security. This can in turn result in more efficient services
from security guards and help policy makers to make more educated decisions
about future regulation of the industry.
RESULTS
Descriptive variables As shown in Table 1, 78 respondents participated in this study, 36 females and 42
males. Age was computed into a binary variable and the results show that 60.3
percent of the respondents were 30 years old or younger. More than a third of the
participants (38.7 percent) are attending higher education, 35.9 percent have
completed university and 24.4 percent have 12 years of schooling or less. 17.9
22
percent have family or friends working in security and more than half of the
sample (52.6 percent) have had personal contact with security guards.
Table 1. Demographics, contact, and family/friends working in security (N=78)______ Variables Description n Percent
Age 30 years or less 47 60.3
31 years or more 31 39.7
Gender Female 36 46.2
Male 42 53.8
Marital status Single/divorced/widowed 46 59
Married/living together 32 41
Education Up to 12 years of schooling 19 24.4
Attending higher education 30 38.5
Completed higher education 28 35.9
Annual family income Below average 27 34.6
Average 36 46.2
Above average 14 17.9
Property ownership status Rented 51 65.4
Owned 28 34.6
Family/friends Yes 14 17.9
working in security No 64 82.1
Personal contact with Yes 41 52.6
Security guard No 37 47.4
Note: All totals may not add up to 100% due to missing cases
Contact variables As displayed in Table 2, slightly less than half of the respondents (48.1 percent)
who reported to have had personal contact with security guards reported the
experience to have been positive. A third (34.1 percent) reported the experience as
neutral, and 17.1 percent reported the experience as negative. Additionally, over
half of the respondents found the behavior of the security guard to be neutral. One
third (34.1 percent) reported that the security guard acted courteously and 14.6
percent found the security guard’s behavior rude or impolite.
23
Table 2. Contact with security guard (N=41)
Variables Description n Percent
Reason for contact Needed information/help 14 34.1
Information/help offered 4 9.8
Remark from guard 9 22
Other 14 34.1
Type of experience Negative 7 17.1
Neutral 14 34.1
Positive 20 48.1
Security guard behavior Impolite/rude 6 14.6
Neutral 21 51.2
Courteous 14 34.1
Findings on citizen’s perception of security guards Results in Table 3 indicate that close to half of the respondents (48.7 percent)
reported that they either agree or strongly agree to the statement ‘Generally I trust
security guards to protect lives and property’. Circa one quarter (26.9 percent)
were neutral to the statement and the remaining 24.4 percent strongly disagreed or
disagreed. Less than half of the sample (46.6 percent) reported satisfaction with
the way security guards conduct themselves, while the remaining answers were
evenly divided between a neutral stance (28.2 percent) and dissatisfaction (28.2).
Regarding professionalism, merely 17.9 percent believe that security guards are
well educated and only one third (32.1 percent) of the sample believe that security
guards are well trained. The study shows more positive results about the imagery
of the profession. Two thirds of the sample (67.9 percent) answered that they
believe that security guards run a high risk of getting injured during the course of
their work, and a majority (53.8 percent) believe that security work is dangerous.
To statements regarding accountability respondents were more negative. Close to
half (47.4 percent) do not believe that existing supervision of the work of security
guards is effective in preventing abuses of power and other offences, and 42.3
percent believe that security guards generally are not held accountable when they
abuse their power. Furthermore, in the category civility relatively mixed results
are displayed. 47.7 percent report to find security guards helpful. However, less
24
than one third (29.5 percent) find security officers to be sensitive to the public and
only one third of sample (34.6 percent) believe that security guards handle calls
for assistance with politeness.
Table 3. Citizen perception of security guards (N=78)
Variables SD/D Neutral SA/A mean
(n) % (n) % (n) % (1–5) StD
Trust (dependent)
‘Generally I trust security (19) 24.4 (21) 26.9 (38) 48.7 3.26 1.1
guards to protect lives and
property’
Satisfaction (dependent)
‘Generally, I am satisfied (22) 28.2 (22) 28.2 (34) 46.6 3.27 1.13
with the way security guards
conduct themselves’
Professionalism (Cronbach’s alpha= .88) ‘Security guards are (31) 39.7 (33) 42.3 (14) 17.9 2.67 .99
well educated’
‘Security guards are (24) 30.8 (29) 37.2 (25) 32.1 3.0 1.03
well trained’
‘Security guards, in general (25) 32.1 (28) 35.9 (25) 32.1 2.97 .98
are able to handle complex
situations’
Imagery (Cronbach’s alpha =.73)
‘Security guards run a (7) 9 (18) 23.1 (53) 67.9 3.86 .97
high risk of getting
injured’
‘Security work is (6) 7.7 (30) 38.5 (42) 53.8 3.59 .81
dangerous’
‘Security work is complex’ (15) 19.2 (28) 35.9 (34) 43.6 3.43 1.2
Accountability (Cronbach’s alpha= .77)
‘Existing laws are (19) 24.4 (38) 48.7 (21) 26. 9 3.03 1.01
adequate to control
the activity of
security guards’
‘Existing supervision of (37) 47.4 (22) 28.2 (19) 24,.4 2.69 1.17
the work of security guards
is effective to prevent abuses
of power and other offenses’
‘Security guards are held (33) 42.3 (27) 34.6 (18) 23.1 2.70 1.11
accountable when they abuse
their power and other offenses’
Civility (Cronbach’s alpha= .85)
‘Security officers, in general, (22) 28.2 (33) 42.3 (23) 29.5 3.0 1.02
are sensitive to the public’
25
‘Security guards are (11) 14.1 (29) 37. 2 (38) 48.7 3.47 .90
Generally helpful’
‘Security officers handle calls (16) 20.5 (35) 44.9 (27) 34.6 3.18 .87
for Assistance with politeness’
Note: All totals may not add up to 100 percent due to missing cases
SD/D=strongly disagree/disagree, SA/A=strongly agree/agree, StD=standard deviation
Analysis of variance In table 3 an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used in order to detect any
significant mean differences within the demographic variables regarding trust in
and satisfaction with security guards. The means of the characteristic variables
were compared and none of these variables showed statistical significance at the
benchmark level of 95 percent significance (p < 0.05). The results indicate that
respondents who were 31 years of age or older reported higher levels of
satisfaction with security guards than younger respondents. This, however, was
marginally significant (p < 0.1). Older respondents also reported higher levels of
trust in security guards, but the results were not statistically significant. Gender
did not appear to affect trust in or satisfaction with security guards. Furthermore,
university students showed a higher level of trust in and satisfaction with security
guards than university graduates, and individuals with up to 12 years of schooling.
The results, however, were not statistically significant. Having family or friends
working in the security industry did appear to influence both trust and satisfaction
with security guards, and the results were marginally significant (p < 0.1).
Respondents who reported to have had personal contact with a security guard
reported higher satisfaction but marginally lower trust. Again, the results were not
statistically significant.
Table 4. Comparison of means between demographic variables (N=87)
Satisfaction with Trust in security guards
security guards
Variables Mean N Mean N
Age:
30 and under 3.06 47 3.15 47
31 and over 3.55* 31 3.45 31
Gender:
Female 3.25 36 3.31 36
Male 3.26 42 3.24 42
26
Education:
Up to 12 years 3.05 19 3.11 19
Attending university 3.43 30 3.43 30
Completed university 3.21 28 3.21 28
Income:
Below average 3.19 27 3.19 27
Average 3.33 47 3.19 47
Above average 3.14 14 3.57 14
Property status:
Renting 3.25 51 3.25 51
Owning 3.26 27 3.30 27
Residential area:
Rural 3.14 22 3.18 22
Urban 3.30 56 3.30 56
Family/friends
in security:
Yes 3.71 14 3.79 14
No 3.16* 64 3.16* 64
Personal contact with
security guard:
Yes 3.44 41 3.24 41
No 3.05 37 3.30 37
*p<.1;**p<.05; ***p≤.01
Further analysis of variance was conducted in order to assess any significant mean
differences between the contact variables. In the sample, 41 respondents reported
to have had personal contact with security guards and the contact variables which
were assessed were; reason for contact, type of experience, and security guard
behavior. As visible in table 4, the type of experience and the behavior of the
security guard have a statically significant influence on the respondents’
perception of security guards. Unsurprisingly, a negative experience with security
personnel influences the trust and satisfaction with security personnel negatively,
and similar results were found for respondents who reported impolite or rude
security guard behavior. No statistically significant mean difference was found in
the variable ‘reason for contact’.
27
Table 5. Comparison of mean context of contact with security guard (N=41)
Satisfaction Trust
Mean N Mean N
Reason for contact:
Needed information/help 3.07 4 3.07 14
Information/help offered 4.00 14 4.00 4
Remark from guard 3.11 9 2.67 9
Other 3.86 14 3.57 14
Type of experience:
Negative 2.43 7 2.13 7
Neutral 3.43 14 3.36 14
Positive 3.80** 20 3.55** 20
Security guard behavior:
Rude/impolite 2.00 6 1.83 6
Neutral 3.71 21 3.38 21
Courteous 3.64** 14 3.64** 14
*p<.1;**p<.05; ***p≤.01
Ordinary least square In table 6 the dependent variables satisfaction with security guards and trust in
security guards were regressed against the key independent variables;
professionalism, imagery, accountability, and civility. As shown in the table
below, out of the four key independent variables, civility (b=0.267, p < 0.001) was
the strongest predictor of reported satisfaction with security guards, when controls
were applied for the other key variables in the model. Conversely, professionalism
(b=0.198, p < 0.001) was the strongest predictor of trust in security guards but it
did not predict satisfaction at a significant level. Also, reported accountability of
security guards predicted both satisfaction with security guards (b=.100, p < 0.01)
and trust in security guards (b=.100, p < 0.05). Interestingly, imagery did not
appear to predict neither satisfaction nor trust in the security guard profession.
The key independent variables account for 85 percent (R= 0.85) of the variance in
the dependent variable satisfaction with security guards, and 80 percent (R= 0.80)
of the variance in trust in security guards. This means that the reported
professionalism, imagery, accountability, and civility of security guards together
explain a substantial portion of the variation in reported satisfaction with security
guards and reported trust in security guards.
28
Table 6. Ordinary least square regression of trust in and satisfaction with security
guards and key independent variables
Variables: Satisfaction Trust
B/Beta(SE) B/Beta(SE)
Professionalism .054/.128 (.038) .198***/.482 (.042)
Imagery .012/.027 (.031) -.059/-.130 (.035)
Accountability .100**/.240 (.035) .100*/.246 (.038)
Civility .267***/.583 (.039) .111*/.248 (.044)
Note: B= Unstandardized coefficient; Beta= Standardized coefficient SE= Standard error
*p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p≤0.001
In summary, the overall results indicate a more positive than negative perception
of security guards. However, these results indicate that the citizens in the sample
were largely ambivalent in their perception of security guards. Older citizens
appear to have a higher degree of satisfaction with security guards and having
friends or family working in security predicts more satisfaction and trust in
security personnel. Having had personal contact with security guards did not,
however, predict trust or satisfaction on a statistically significant level. On the
other hand the type of experience one has had with security guards as well as the
behavior of the guards did predict trust and satisfaction with security officers.
Lastly, reported civility was the strongest predictor of satisfaction with security
guards and professionalism was the strongest predictor of trust in security guards.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
This research intended to shed light on citizens’ perception of security guards,
which was measured as trust in and satisfaction with security guards in Malmö.
Focus was also on finding possible factors which affect citizens’ trust and
satisfaction with security guards.
29
Results Findings indicate a more positive than negative perception of security guards,
however more than half of the respondents reported a neutral or negative stance in
terms of their satisfaction and trust in security guards. This shows that
respondents in this sample do not have a clear perception of security guards on a
group level, but that the image is not as negative as the depiction of the profession
in the media and popular culture. This is true not only for the research in Malmö.
Prior research in various parts of the world (Moreira et al, 2015; Nalla & Heraux,
2003; Shearing et al, 1985; Van Steden & Nalla, 2010), including North America,
the Netherlands, and Portugal, indicate an ambiguous perception of the private
security industry, but the overall image of the security guard profession appears to
be more positive than negative.
The factors which affected citizen’s trust and satisfaction most significantly in this
study were the type of experience with security guards and the security guard
behavior. Similar results were found in the Netherlands (Van Steden & Nalla,
2010) with a much larger sample (N=426). Although the sample of respondents
who had interacted with security guards in this study was small (N=41), the fact
that similar results were found in a more extensive study can increase the validity
of the results. The findings were also in accordance with many studies of citizens’
perception of the police, including Tyler (2004) and Skogan (2005). Additionally,
the category ‘civility’ predicted both satisfaction and trust in security guards and
this shows that courteous security guard behavior can influence the overall
perception of the profession.
Findings of this nature may create incentives for private security organizations to
implement more training and education regarding customer service and polite
security guard behavior. However, the main responsibility of security guards is
certainly not to provide hospitality to the public. Instead, their main
responsibilities are to prevent loss for their clients and to maintain order. The
actions of security guards are therefore not always desirable for people coming in
contact with them. Nonetheless, security guards can almost always behave in
manner that is perceived as fair, and this is worth stressing when discussing
people’s perception of security guards.
30
Moreover, research show that a more positive public perception of the police
makes police work more effective and more efficient (Skogan, 2005; Tyler, 2004).
Due to the decentralization of social control, the increased employment of security
guards and the increased public/private partnership between law enforcement and
private security, it is realistic to assume that the public perception may have
similar effects on the work of security guards. Hart &Livingstone (2003) state that
in the same manner as the public’s image of the police is fundamental to the
success of police operations, the image of private security is central to its
operations, authority, and legitimacy. As discussed earlier, authority is crucial for
effective performance by private security companies. Since authority is an effect
rather than an entity, the public perception is central to establishing authority.
Without taking a stance on whether the increased presence of security guards is
favorable or not, increased efficiency of security work can benefit society in terms
of for example increased public sense of safety.
It should also be noted that several respondents mentioned either in writing
(although there was no open question in the survey) or verbally that recent media
coverage of power abuses by security guards in Malmö affected their perception
negatively. This, although not empirically validated, indicates that the media has a
role in shaping the perception of the security industry. In relation to this, 42
percent of the respondents reported that security guards are not held responsible
when abusing their power and close to half of the sample reported that existing
supervision of security guards is inadequate to prevent power abuses. These
largely negative perceptions of the accountability of security guards may therefore
be partly based on media discourse.
Furthermore, the relatively positive perception of security guards in this study
indicates a level of acceptance of the profession which is inconsistent with image
often portrayed in the media and popular culture. It is possible that the perception
of increased risks in society contributes to a legitimization of the work of private
security personnel, which in turn influences the perception of the industry. This
would be in accordance with Ulrich Beck’s theory of risk society, which both
Krahmann (2011) and Berntsson (2011) associate with the expansion and the
legitimization of the private security sector. Additionally, shifting security norms
31
and contemporary crime policy, which to larger extent focuses on situational
prevention, may also influence the public perception of security personnel.
Lastly, due to the expansion of the private security sector, more citizens come in
contact with security guards. Thus it is likely that an increasing number of citizens
base their perception of the profession on personal contact rather than the image
portrayed in various media outlets. This might explain the relatively positive
attitudes towards security guards displayed in this sample. In the present study
over half of the respondents reported to have had personal contact with security
guards, and this gives an indication of the presence of security guards in Malmö.
Limitations The most evident limitations of the study are the size of the sample and the lack of
variation in the sample. The sample in this study is relatively small (N = 78) and it
does not have the diversity of a representable sample for the population in Malmö.
One should therefore be cautious of drawing generalizing conclusions from the
findings. The sample was also possibly affected by a relatively large external
omission. It is estimated that circa one third of the individuals asked to participate
declined participation. However, the internal omission was low (0.25 percent),
which may indicate that the participants found the research topic to be relevant
and that the survey was well-constructed.
In addition, it is possible that students and former students were more likely to
participate in the study since they have likely conducted some form of survey
research themselves at university. A large amount of the respondents (43.6
percent) were between 18 and 25. This might also explain why a large proportion
of the sample attended university (38.5 percent). A possible reason for the
disproportionally high number of young respondents and university students may
be that the surveys were distributed, on two different occasions, between noon and
late afternoon on weekdays. The population with a daytime occupation was
therefore less likely to participate. Thus, the sample can be considered a
convenience sample, which can be explained by time and resource limitations.
Another flaw in method of the research is that a limited amount of information
(N=78) was fitted into a large amount of variables. Ideally, the survey should have
been less extensive and more adapted to the size of the sample. Nonetheless, this
32
exploratory study aimed to give an indication of the public opinion of security
guards in Malmö, rather than a fully generalizable picture.
Future research Future research should address citizens’ perceived safety in the presence of
security guards. It would be interesting if the perceived safety in the presence of
private security personnel was assessed and compared to the perceived safety in
the presence of law enforcement. In a time where it is equally as likely to come in
contact with private security personnel as police officers a study of this nature
would be highly relevant.
33
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37
APPENDICES
Appendix 1.
Informationsbrev
Projektets titel :
Citizen satisfaction with security
guards in Malmö
Datum: ( )
Plats: Värnhemstorget
Gustav Adolfs torg
Studieansvarig: Tobias Bengtsson
E-post:
Studerar vid Malmö högskola,
Fakulteten vid hälsa och samhälle,
205 06 Malmö, Tfn 040- 6657000
Utbildning: Kriminologi
Nivå: Kandidatnivå
Jag är student på kriminologiprogrammet vid Malmö högskola och denna enkät
kommer ligga till grund för min undersökning angående tillit och inställning till
väktare i Malmö. Syftet med projektet är att får en mer nyanserad bild av
allmänhetens inställning till väktare och väktaryrket.
Ditt deltagande är frivilligt och du har möjlighet att avbryta deltagandet när som
helst utan närmare motivering. Vidare kommer resultaten av undersökningen inte
kunna kopplas till dig som person och informationen kommer förvaras på en säker
plats och kommer bara vara åtkomligt för mig som är undersökningsledare.
Rapporteringen av resultatet kommer ske i form av examensuppsats på Malmö
högskola och skulle du behöva ytterligare information om studien få du gärna
kontakta mig på ovanstående epostadress.
Empirin kommer att samlas in i form av enkäter och cirka 80 enkäter kommer
samlas in från slumpmässigt utvalda vuxna individer vid Gustav Adolfs torg samt
Värnhemstorget.
Vänligen skriv datum samt ringa in på vilken plats undersökningen ägt rum.
Ifyllandet av blanketten innebär att du lämnar samtycket till att delta i
undersökningen.
Härmed tillfrågas Du om deltagande i studien
38
Appendix 2.
Kära deltagare,
Kom ihåg att enbart fylla i ett svarsalternativ per fråga. Tack för ditt
deltagande!
1) Ålder 2) Kön 3) Civil status Kvinna Singel/skild/
_______ Man Gift/Sambo
4) Utbildning 5) Årlig inkomst Upp till 12 års utbildning Under medel
Studerar på universitet/högskola Medel
Examen från universitet/högskola Över medel
6) Bostadsform 7) Bostadsdel
Hyr Utanför stad/storstad
Äger I stad/storstad
8) Har du familj/vänner som arbetar inom privat säkerhet?
Ja
Nej
9) Har du haft någon personlig kontakt med en väktare? (Om ej gå vidare till
fråga 13)
Ja
Nej
10) Anledning till kontakt med väktare
Behövde information/hjälp
Blev erbjuden information/hjälp
Tillrättavisad av väktare
Annat
11) Typ av upplevelse 12 Väktarens beteende
Negativ Otrevligt
Neutral Neutralt
Positiv Artigt
Vänligen vänd blad ========>
39
Hur väl instämmer du med följande påståenden?
Hur väl instämmer du med följande påstående?
Påstående 1=instämmer inte,
5=instämmer helt
13) Väktare är välutbildade 12345
14) Generellt sett kan väktare hantera svåra
situationer.
12345
15) Väktare har genomgått adekvat träning 12345
16) Väktare utsätts för en hög risk att skadas under
deras arbete
12345
17) Väktararbete är farligt 12345
18) Väktarbete är svårt 12345
Påstående 1=instämmer inte,
5=instämmer helt
19) Nuvarande lagar är tillräckliga för att
kontrollera väktares arbete och befogenheter
12345
20 Nuvarande övervakning av väktares arbete är
effektivt för att förebygga missbruk av
maktposition och andra lagöverträdanden
12345
21) Väktare hålls ansvariga när de missbrukat sin
maktposition eller begår andra lagöverträdanden
12345
22) Generellt är väktare trevliga mot allmänheten 12345
23) Väktare är generellt hjälpsamma 12345
24) När väktares assistans behövs agerar de med
artighet
12345
Påstående 1=instämmer inte,
5=instämmer helt
25) Generellt är jag nöjd med hur väktare arbetar 12345
26) Allmänheten kan generellt sett lita på att väktare
kan skydda liv och egendom
12345
40
Appendix 3.
Dear respondent, Remember to only tick one box. Thank you for your participation!
1) Age 2) Gender 3) Marital status
_____
4) Education 5) Annual family income Below average
Average
Above average
6) Property ownership status 7) Area of residence
Rented Rural
Owned property Urban
8) Family/friends working in security
Yes
No
9) Have you had any personal contact with a security guard? (If the answer is
no continue to question number 13)
10) Reason for contact
11) Type of experience 12 Security guard behaviour
Positive Courteous
Please turn the page ========>
41
How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements
How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements
Statement 1=Strongly disagree,
5=Strongly agree
13) Security officers are well educated 12345
14) Security officers, in general, are able to handle
complex situations
12345
15) Security officers are well trained 12345
16) Security officers run a high risk of getting
injured in the course of their work
12345
17) Security work is dangerous 12345
18) Security work is complex 12345
Statement 1= Strongly disagree,
5= Strongly agree
19) Existing laws are adequate to control the
activity of security officers
12345
20 Existing supervision of the work of security
guards is effective to prevent abuses of power and
offenses
12345
21) Security guards are held accountable when they
abuse their power or commit offenses
12345
22) Security officers, in general, are sensitive to the
public
12345
23) Security officers are generally helpful 12345
24) Security officers handle calls for assistance with
politeness
12345
Statement 1= Strongly disagree,
5=Strongly agree
25) Generally I am satisfied with the way security
guards conduct themselves
12345
26) Citizens can generally trust security guards to
protect lives and property
12345
