Mall Security: Best Practices to Follow

The importance of mall security is a shared concern for mall owners and individual shops. Adhering to certain fundamental practices enhances this security, and this piece delves into it in detail.

Shopping malls are favorite places for social gatherings, particularly post-school and on weekends, requiring continuous security. This necessity is underlined by sporadic crimes occurring in malls, as exemplified by the FBI’s report of 1,133 violent incidents in U.S. malls in 2020. A tragic example from July 2022 was a shooting in an Indianapolis-area mall that resulted in four fatalities and two injuries.

The Imperative of Security

Protection for staff, retailers, and consumers is vital, as is contributing to a positive shopping experience. “Malls are bustling hubs of trade and leisure, with the recent increase in organized retail crime and smash-and-grab incidents emphasizing the distinct challenge of securing mall-based retailers,” noted Sean Foley, SVP of Customer Success at Interface Systems.

Key Guidelines

The subsequent points describe the prime practices to amplify mall security and safeguard all involved:

Information Exchange

Open communication regarding security between mall management and individual retailers is crucial. Generally, mall operators oversee common areas and parking, while individual store security falls on tenants. Disconnected security systems demand effective communication.

“Enhanced coordination and sharing of information among mall tenants and owners can reinforce security measures and expedite responses during critical moments,” stated Foley. “The Jewelers Security Alliance’s national practice of circulating notifications about criminals is an exemplary method. Similar mechanisms in malls could alert retailers to known culprits and elevate security.”

Unified Framework

Integrating various security systems through a unified platform can elevate mall security effectiveness. Maïté Herrero, Industry Marketing Specialist at Genetec, listed the following components:

• Video management for alarm verification and loss prevention support;
• Access control for regulating restricted areas;
• Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) for parking management and offender notification;
• Intercoms and public address systems for essential safety announcements;
• Video analytics like people counting for fire and occupancy regulation compliance.

Unified platforms facilitate the job of mall operators. “Modern, integrated systems are becoming commonplace in malls. Such platforms enable operators to better understand situations, contextualize incidents, and react faster. With all information displayed on a single dashboard, teams can validate alarms and respond without juggling multiple systems,” Herrero explained.

Adaptable, Expandable System

Opting for an adaptable, expandable system with an open structure permits the mall user to utilize existing hardware and incorporate additional systems as needed.

“A large London mall experienced the benefits of a scalable, unified system, appreciating the advantages of a consistent interface and user experience. Since they used an open-architecture system, they could initiate with select locations and incorporate others over time, adapting devices or tools as required,” Herrero mentioned.

Analytics Utilization

Mall security benefits from video surveillance, especially when combined with analytics. “The value of video surveillance can be magnified through POS exception reporting integration. Correlating data from POS with video allows businesses to gain valuable insights, quickly identifying suspicious transactions like employee refunds or ‘no-sale’ rings. Video integration with sales transactions makes it easy to pinpoint such activities,” Foley added.

Conclusion

Security is paramount in mall environments where various activities and potential risks coexist. Implementing best practices such as information sharing, unified platforms, flexible systems, and analytics can ensure a secure and pleasant experience for all involved.