Critiques of Corporate Security: Cost, Camouflage and Creep

Abstract

Canada's premier security industry magazine, Canadian Security, recently made a grand announcement to its growing readership: the City of Toronto's municipal corporate security (MCS) unit had promoted its long-time `manager' to a new `director' position following the inauguration of corporate security as a separate municipal government unit (Fraser, 2013). By reporting directly to the chief corporate officer, security would be elevated to a seat at the corporate table for the first time in Canada's largest municipal government. To North American security professionals aware of their increasing influence within organizations, this was undoubtedly welcome but not earth-shattering news. Since at least the 1990s, many corporate security professionals have been promoting their offices and skills as potentially enhancing of organizational values and aims rather than merely a cost with little payoff. That the manager of corporate security would be invited to join top decision-makers `upstairs' signals further advancement.