The Mall at Millenia: Where Reputation is Key
- By Sydny Shepard
- May 18, 2016
When you step out of the hot, muggy heat of central Florida and into the air conditioned architecture of The Mall at Millenia, it is hard not to take a second to just stare.
The mall is laid out in an “S”-shape, featuring 60-foot vaulted end-to-end skylights creating an abundance of natural light. Music is piped through an intercom masking the sounds of designer heels on the 150 million year old marble floor. The hallways lined with luxury retail facilities are adorned with innovative glass and water features and public entrances are brightly lit and clean.
Security director, Greg Moore, says that’s all part of the plan. From the style of the building to the cleanliness on the premises, it is all done as crime prevention.
“Everything that we do, our housekeeping, landscaping, maintenance and engineering is all crime prevention. It’s the tone that we set when you walk into this building,” Moore said. “We really want to send a subliminal message to any bad guy that we are serious about security and there are easier places to go if they want to commit a crime.”
The Mall at Millenia sees millions of visitors to its 150 stores each year. The mall is within the top 10 most profitable malls in the world and Moore believes it’s because of their reputation as a facility committed to prevention.
“Our emphasis is on being proactive, not allowing crimes to happen in the first place,” Moore said. “That’s what’s good for business. That’s what is good for this property and that’s how we protect our guests.”
In addition to reputation, the mall employs a number of security guards that are trained to greet visitors in the hopes of deterring criminal activity. The mall is outfitted with cameras that can see from all angles and an intercom system that can act as a mass notification system in the event of an emergency. Moore and his security team also train tenants of the mall and their employees in the case of an active shooter situation.
“Whenever there is breaking news on a situation at a mall, I stop what I’m doing and I am glued to the TV,” Moore said. “I’m looking for best and worst practices and that’s a lot of what our training program is: teaching tenants and employees what not to do in the worst possible situation.”
In an effort to secure the parking lots surrounding the facility, security vehicles circle through the lots throughout the day. These security vehicles and their drivers start working well before the shoppers arrive. Moore calls this crime prevention method Operation Good Morning Posture.
“Operation Good Morning Posture is where we have all of our units out in the parking lot greeting our employees as they come in and being highly visible,” Moore said. “About 20 minutes later, the vehicles will be running around with their lights flashing to be even more visible as our parking lots begin to see more traffic. The idea is that a criminal would see these vehicles and decide not to come inside at all.”
The Mall at Millenia will continue to see outstanding reviews from shoppers, not only for their wide selection of luxury brands, but for their security and their commitment to prevention.
“We have more emphasis on security than any other mall that you are going to go to,” Moore said. “It is a philosophy and it’s a dedication of assets and that’s what sets us apart.”
About the Author
Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.