The Commonwealth of Virginia has made many improvements to our PSS industry over the last few years. In my opinion, now is not the time to eliminate any for-profit sectors.
21 days’ notice on "Town Hall" is certainly not enough time to evaluate and discuss something this significant that could have lasting effects.
Many agencies, governments, educational campuses, healthcare, etc. are looking for ways to become more efficient. Private policing is increasing across the Country and has proven to be successful in many communities. Virginia should be at the forefront of this privatization, not discussing going backwards.
Many of the arguments I've heard against the SCOP program have been from one or two bad apples or something brought up from 8 years ago. Training has improved and increased across all areas of PSS- and companies such as mine are going well over and beyond what the "industry" mandates in traininig.
Campus Police departments MAY need their own Regulations to incorporate "campus security and campus policing" - for example.
OR maybe Special Conservators of the Peace should be for the private sector (ie; non-governmental) and everyone else fall under "Special Police"...as another example.
Outsourcing and privatization is the wave of the future - and promote economic business growth! We should be embracing it, not fighting it. If training standards need to be raised, let’s review, study and discuss that. There are many ways we can achieve the same goals of providing public safety while not hindering private business.