In Ferguson, while the police and National Guard seemed powerless to protect peaceful citizens from rioters, private organizations stepped in to fill the gap.

Oath Keepers, an organization of former and current military and police agents, spent several nights standing guard over businesses to deter looters. Many of the people they protected seemed grateful. Davis Vo, a restaurant owner, noted, "When they're here, there's definitely a weight lifted off of our shoulders." With looting ongoing, and the National Guard focused on protecting the police command post rather than major commercial areas, many business owners were thankful for extra protection — wherever it came from.

The actions of Oath Keepers are part of a trend of private enterprises competing with police to provide security. Threat Management Center, a private defense firm, protected folks in Detroit when police forces couldn't. Peacekeeper, a free app, competes with police by enabling people to build a network of friends, family, and neighbors whom they can call on in an emergency. The organization notes that this service can be faster and more customer-centric than calling police.

Rather than embracing the help, police have cracked down on private protection entities. In Ferguson, they threatened Oath Keepers with arrest for operating without a license. Dale Brown, founder of the Threat Management Center, claims that "because the police usually see us as competitors, they are very eager to come after us if we screw up."