Not really the same. Charging for this would discourage people from using it. They have to make a choice on feeling safe vs. spending money.

This gives everyone the option and subsidizes it to the entire community.

This is exactly why socializing things like this is beneficial.

Every service has a cost. That cost is the value of the labor being provided. But we decide as a society that providing services like this benefits everyone living in society. Regardless of if they use it directly or not.