Private Security Firms

How much do you think private security contractors like Blackwater charge private companies?

Greetings, I am doing a report on private security companies like Blackwater, Dyncorp, etc. I am wondering if anyone knew an estimate of how much these companies charge for corporate/business security in places like the Middle East. For example, if a medium sized trading company wanted to open a center in a risky country, what do you think the industry charge would be?

Public Comments

1. This is a difficult question to answer unless you define the requirements better. The cost of security personnel in Iraq would probably range from $85 to $200 per hour per person. There would also be costs for logistics, housing, equipment, supervision and management, etc., and the customer would typically pay for all of these costs in addition to the hourly rate for personnel. So, if you had ten security people on staff 24/7, it could cost you about $1.8 million just for security personnel alone. A company that was serious about doing this would typically hire a security consultant to do a threat assessment based on the size and location of the proposed trading company. The consultant would then recommend the number of security personnel needed, types of security systems, etc. and the client could budget accordingly.