A report has revealed that Apple paid over $1.2 million in one year to privately hire police to protect three of its San Francisco retail stores. The practice is commonplace in San Francisco, where private companies can pay police officers to protect their shops and offices. The contracting program, known as 10B, allows anyone requesting additional personnel for "law enforcement purposes" as long as the police chief approves it. Tech companies such as Apple, Airbnb, Salesforce, and Security Industry Specialists are said to be among the big clients. However, there are conflicting views on the practice, with some arguing it creates potential conflicts of interest and costs taxpayers.