Strategic Responses and Crime Management. A Case Study of SGA (K) Limited

Abstract

Private security firms have been fighting with increased crime with minimal success. This research therefore seeks to investigate on the strategic responses used by SGA to manage crime in Kenya. The research used a case study design which gave the researcher an opportunity to garner more information pertaining to security firm being investigated and which had minimal literature. Seventeen employees of SGA (directors, managers and departmental heads) who manage crime at the firm were targeted. Data was collected using an interview guide as a primary method and secondary data were obtained from strategic plan, magazine, newspaper and website. The research findings indicated that SGA has adopted numerous strategies to respond to crime management despite being affected by the different nature of crime stemming from fire armed gangs, groups gangs and destructive crimes such as break-ins, vandalism and shoplifting. Strategies used included collaboration with national police force, improving vigilance level, review of operational norms, technological innovation, training, recruiting and using preemptive approaches. Numerous challenges have faced SGA in their strategic response to crime and management. These challenges included- lack of adequate vehicles for emergency mobilization, poor road infrastructure in some parts of the country and or traffic congestion, inadequate employees, poor renumeration, use of outdated technology and lack of training. To mitigate the challenges the findings established that the firm have opted to use both traditional and modern method of responding to and managing crime through frisking and searching, conducting random patrols, using remote monitoring systems, training employees on defensive techniques, use of dogs to compliment guards and use back up patrols. This research investigated the strategies used in crime management at SGA, it was limited in findings and thus the results can’t be generalized in other areas. Therefore, there is need to conduct the same research with other private security firms involved in crime management in order to assess the strategic responses used. Through a detailed multiple case study, findings can be used to polish the outcome of the existing study. Studies to be conducted in future ought to explore barriers to crime prevention within the private security firms.