1.1 Market definition and presentation

The INSEE defines private security as all guarding, patrol, and cash or valuables transportation services using personnel equipped to protect the goods during transportation. In fact, private security includes various activities such as personal protection and the protection of premises and buildings (guarding).

The private security sector, which alone represents approximately 73% of the security sector's turnover, has experienced strong growth in recent years, well above that of the French GDP. This growth was boosted by the attacks of January and November 2015, which increased demand and strengthened the devices made available for physical security.

For all that, the market is relatively fragmented among many players who market generally specialized offerings (personal protection, for example). However, a few large companies such as Securitas control a large part of the market.

Regulatory and technological developments are also factors that the sector must take into account. The growth of the security systems market is twice that of the private security market. As a result, the sector is adapting with innovations such as the use of drones for building surveillance. In addition, in recent years, the cyber threat has been one of the industry's biggest challenges. With cybersecurity spending reaching €23 billion in 2021, IT security is now a priority for companies, who need to protect their data.

1.2 The global market

Private security systems are booming in the world since a few years. Indeed, more and more countries are opening up to private security, to the detriment of public order forces. Today, about forty countries would have more private security agents than law enforcement officers.

Private security employees and police officers World, ...

1.3 State of the national private security market

In **** in France, according to the site Making our world safer, the security market was estimated at *.* billion euros, of which **% concerned private security and **% security systems. Thus, the national private security market was valued at *.* billion euros. According to the index of the turnover of the sector provided by the ...

2.1 Demand and drivers

the CNAPS (***) establishes a list of the different demands that can be made to the private security sector:

Human surveillance and guarding of goods, security of people in buildings and transportation. Surveillance by electronic security and video-protection systems. Surveillance and dog guarding. Airport and port security. Transport and surveillance of goods ...

2.2 The security issue at the heart of people's concerns

New alarms now allow households to have a security system at home, without having to rely on a service provider. Somfy alarms are connected and meet the needs of French people to be able to monitor their homes at any time.

But security issues are multiple and the majority of French ...

2.3 2024 Olympics: a demand for increased security

The organization of the **** Olympic Games in France is mobilizing many sectors. Among them, the security sector is at the center of attention. ** *** private security agents would be necessary for the organization of the Olympic Games.

This big demand is difficult to meet and the memory of the London chaos worries ...

2.4 Cyber threat boosts demand

The cyber threat is one of the most important reasons for the development of electronic security. In ****, *** intrusions were proven, compared to **** in ****. Despite a slight decrease, the risk remains high and organizations must equip themselves to prevent attacks. A large majority of attacks are still motivated by financial gain, more ...

3.1 Market organization and dynamics

In ****, approximately ***,*** people were employed in the private security sector, including security guards (***) [***].

Distribution of the workforce in the sector France, ****, in % Source: ****

The sector is dominated by medium-sized and large companies(***). Microenterprises still account for **% of the market.

Breakdown of security revenues by company size France, ****, % Source: ****

Large companies are ...

3.2 Production

Production costs in the private security sector have increased slightly at an annual rate of *.*% over the past ** years [***].

evolution of production costs for private security France, **** - ****, base *** in **** Source: ****

The main costs in the sector are related to the personnel employed (***), nearly **% of whom are full-time. The average hourly ...

3.3 Tensions on the labour force in the sector

The private security market is highly concentrated in the Paris region. In fact, the region accounts for more than **% of the sector's workforce.

Evolution of the workforce registered under code **.**Z France, **** - ****, in thousands of people Source: ****

Despite a significant increase in the number of employees in the sector, there ...

4.1 Private security actually includes a multitude of activities

Under the words of private security hides a multitude of different activities which each have their own particularity. Some of them focus on the protection of goods, others on the protection of people.

Security agents - the security of people

Security guards are those who provide security for people (***). Bodyguards are ...

4.2 Prices vary greatly depending on the type of training

There is no fixed price in the field of private security. These depend on the type of service but also on the technical and logistic difficulty. The companies that currently market a security drone offer are freer to set their prices than their competitors who evolve on the market of alarms ...

4.3 The necessary adaptation to new technologies

After having found growth relays between **** and **** (***), with a turnover that increased by **%, private security companies are experiencing a slowdown in their activity [***].

The **** Olympic Games in Paris will therefore represent a major challenge for the sector, which will have to be able to provide the security guards in demand, despite ...

5.1 The role of the CNAPS

The CNAPS (***) regulates the activities of private security companies. This organization has three missions:

Administrative police: issuing, suspending or withdrawing authorizations, approvals and professional cards Disciplinary: on-site and documentary control of private security companies, and initiation of disciplinary action if necessary Advice and assistance to the profession: answering questions from the ...

5.2 Specific rules apply for each activity

The website of the Ministry of the Interior gathers all the regulatory texts related to private security in France. Each activity (***) is regulated. In some cases the rules overlap and group several activities.

Decree No. ****-**** of October **, ****, however, radically modified the rules previously in force (***). [***] The main points concerning private ...