Dr. Boris Saavedra, a specialist on the role of private security firms in domestic law enforcement, presented a 2-hour lecture by video teleconference to 40 students of Peru’s Curso de Dirección Estratégica para la Defensa y Administración de Crisis (CEDEYAC). His topic, the Conceptual Nature of Security and Defense, addressed the varying perceptions of public security among Latin American nations. In many countries, the armed forces have been put in support roles to the police or directly in charge of public security programs because of the challenges associated with organized crime groups. As Dr. Saavedra pointed out, the number of private security firm in the region has also expanded. In some countries, the number security forces nearly doubles that of the national police.