Khaberni - Apple paid over $1.2 million in one year to hire police officers to protect three of its stores in San Francisco, through a private security company, according to "Wired" magazine.
San Francisco allows private companies to pay for police officers to protect their stores and offices, and many technology companies benefit from this system, according to a magazine report, which was reviewed by "Al Arabiya Business".
For many, the idea that a private company can hire active police officers to provide security for its premises seems odd, but the "Wired" magazine report confirms that this is completely common in San Francisco.
This contracting program is locally known as "10B", and it is also the clause of the city law that authorizes it. Any individual or company or institution wishing to obtain additional personnel or equipment for "law enforcement purposes" can request "these individuals to perform these services", provided there is prior approval from the Chief of Police.
Under the law, companies pay the same hourly wages that the city pays to officers.
Technology companies are among the most prominent clients in this system, including "Apple".
For example, Airbnb spent about $428,443 for the presence of armed police officers in uniform in 2024, the latest year for which full data is available. Salesforce also spent about $727,907 through a security services provider.
"Security Industry Specialists" paid over $1.2 million in 2024 for what police records described as providing security protection for three Apple stores, making it the second-largest client that year.
This system is not limited to California, as a "Wired" magazine report indicated that about 80% of police departments in the United States allow officers to work in private security jobs outside their work hours.
While some see this practice as creating a potential conflict of interest and possibly overburdening officers to the extent that it impedes their ability to perform their primary duties efficiently, others see it as contributing to an increase in the number of regular police officers on the streets at no cost to taxpayers.
