In the U.S., the security guard shortage has become a full-blown crisis. A third of security firms say their staff numbers are significantly below pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent survey. This crisis is playing out against the backdrop of an unprecedented rise in crime across the country — from Whole Foods closing its year-old San Francisco flagship location to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ recent plan to combat retail thefts across the city’s five boroughs.
Yet long before this recent wave of crime, it had become increasingly clear that the traditional model of physical security with multiple guards patrolling buildings and facilities had become less effective and more expensive.