Residents and business owners in San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood have responded to recent waves of violent crime and hate crimes by significantly expanding their investment in private security. In 2024, the Hillcrest Business Association began spending approximately $400,000 annually on eight hours of daily unarmed patrol coverage. Plans are currently underway to increase that budget by roughly $150,000 next year to fund a second shift of guards.
“It’s about setting a tone in the neighborhood,” said Benjamin Nicholls, executive director of the association, highlighting the proactive approach to maintaining public safety in the area.
This local initiative reflects a broader national trend. Although U.S. violent crime rates have declined over recent decades according to government data, a series of high-profile attacks targeting businesses, politicians, and community organizations has triggered an explosion in protection services spending. Major providers such as Allied Universal are seeing substantial benefits from this shift.
According to Robert H. Perry & Associates, revenue in the private security sector grew by 17% over the last decade, surpassing $50 billion in 2025. Of that total, outsourced services within the United States—encompassing both electronic security systems and manned guarding—accounted for just over $35 billion.
Industry leaders attribute this growth to a climate of heightened political and cultural tension. Steve Amitay, executive director of the National Association of Security Companies, noted the dramatic change in demand. “Who would have thought 10 years ago that you would need to hire private security at a school board meeting or at a town meeting,” Amitay said. “We live in a very divisive and inflammatory society right now.”
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