News brief for those not aware, private military companies deployed to New Orleans (continental US or "CONUS") and the environs after Katrina. This was generally not covered by the mainstream media, but the blogosphere and alternative press did. This article is on the tamer side of the alternative coverage. MSM (mainstream media) on the other hand, was almost sterile:
The mission is to guard against looters, not fend off coordinated insurgent attacks. But the presence of the highly trained specialists represents an unusual domestic assignment for a set of companies that has chiefly developed in global hot spots where war, not nature, has undermined the rule of law….
Although it’s not likely to become a major source of business, private-sector firms that specialize in rapid response to dangerous situations probably can have more of a role in a domestic disaster’s wake, said Doug Brooks, president of the International Peace Operations Association, a trade group.
Blackwater advertised for people to work NO in their newsletter 19 September 2005: "Blackwater USA has an immediate need for Security Professionals for the New Orleans area. Interested candidates must posses the following…"
[Note: doing some housecleaning in the posting list… this broke back in Sept 05]
Maybe City Police Forces in the US (then Australia) will be private companies next. Government involvement will be setting out the tender process every 5 years…
SP- Can’t agree with you here. The socio-political background and environment of the Commonwealth is different than in the US. True, every respectable US police force must have his Irishman, but municiple, country, and state ceding of police power just does not resonate. Right now, we already have a sort of contracting that occurs. Cities that do not want or cannot afford their own fire or police services contract from the county. Maybe another contributing factor is the increased politicization of American police forces compared to UK & the Commonwealth. Sheriffs are elected, police chiefs are typically political appointments, etc. State police / DPS / Highway Patrol are appointments by the governor.I should add an important note: the PMCs operating in NO were not contracted by the government (city, state or federal) but by corporations as far as I can tell / been told.