They did a pretty lousy job until the mafia decided to take over their operation in our town - once they took over there was actual protection in force and they put word out that anyone making them look bad by robbing their customers would not only end up looking bad themselves, but would also have serious problems with their kneecaps....
I’ve heard rumors that mob protection in NYC is cheaper than NYC taxes and FAR more effective than police protection because they seriously injure anyone who violates their protection.
Of course, failure to pay also carries a nasty price.