Security & Perceptions

Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere highlight the recurring threat of armed assaults at shopping malls, especially a concern during the  busy holiday season. Between 2009 and 2012, according to J. Pete Blair, associate professor of criminal justice at Texas State University, the rate of shootings at malls and schools tripled, to about 15 a year. So far in 2013 there have been 13 such shootings.

Since common preventive tactics such as bag screening, armed guards, and similar methods may discourage shoppers, mall operators are reverting to less visible means to observe potential threats. One private security firm's Chief Security Officer, Matthew W. Horace, was quoted as saying,

"Would they rather feel safe? Or do they want to see armed guards with machine guns and berets? That's the balance that we all face with safety!"

It's just that kind of uninformed comparison that leads to employers’ reluctance to trust security "professionals" and take measures guided more by profit concerns than realistic threat potential. 

Planned improvements include additional security staff, shatterproof windows, more practice drills and encouraged reporting of suspicious activity. While these measures are helpful, the best practices for prevention should include a strong visible deterrent...but only if the presentation is professional, by fit, alert, and well-trained security staff. We need to get rid of the common image of incompetence. This will only come through better screening, consistent professional training, and constant monitoring. Expanded technology, especially in video surveillance is helpful. But, the human element must be present, alert, and responsive.

Armed security, for many reasons, is usually not a good idea. A police presence, whether on the site or close by, is essential. We firmly believe that the American public would rather feel safe, even if security takes away some elements of convenience.