Elon Musk’s move to X’s new office outside San Francisco highlights the growing concern about safety in tech hubs. Airbnb and Salesforce have been footing the bill for regular police protection, with Airbnb spending over £280,000 on uniformed officers alone.

The incident at OpenAI’s headquarters, where a man allegedly tried to enter by force after writing a violent manifesto, has put a spotlight on these security arrangements. Yet, leading AI firms have not taken up this option, despite their high-profile status.

While the program is primarily used for events and conferences, its regular clients include major tech companies like Salesforce and Airbnb, with one-off users including Microsoft and Affirm. The city’s moonlighting policy has been praised for making officers more visible but criticized for potential abuse of sick leave.

The effectiveness of this approach remains debated among experts, with no clear evidence showing it outperforms private security. However, the recurring nature of these contracts suggests some value in the service to those who can afford it.