[allochthon]

Although it is true that you can probably wring savings out of using private security personnel over unionized police, I personally don't think the higher costs for the police are a problem -- it's hard to live on wages less than what the police in San Francisco are being paid, even in Oakland. A real problem with the legal and law enforcement systems is that they're bureaucratic and unresponsive. I do not mind more money going to them, but I also want to see them enter the Internet age and do things like answer emails.