NCJ Number
141830
Journal
Security Management Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1993) Pages: 43-47
Date Published
1993
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Mall of America, in Bloomington, Minnesota, is the nations largest enclosed shopping and entertainment facility, comprised of stores, restaurants, theaters, nightclubs, a miniature golf course, and an amusement park. Shoppers' security at the mall is enhanced by 98 closed circuit television television (CCTV) cameras, 125 emergency phones, 32 evacuation posts, and a written emergency plan.
Abstract
When planning the mall's security operations, the security team visited another amusement park and mall and contacted the local police department for assistance. A primary area of concern was parking deck security; the team eventually decided to install four pan/tilt and zoom cameras as well as seven emergency push button phones on each level. The plan also included vehicle patrols and CCTV cameras covering the pedestrian bridges leading from the parking decks into the complex. The security team was responsible for designing a disaster and emergency plan, covering every contingency from severe weather conditions to ride evacuation and crowd control. Hiring practices were regulated by State law and the company's standard training program was expanded to deal with a wide range of customer service and security issues. Unlike other mall security forces, officers at Mall of America are responsible for acting on shoplifting, hot credit cards, and other retail-related crimes. Implementation of the security plan, and particularly the efforts made before and during the mall's grand opening, have exemplified the success of cooperation between public and private security.