Attorney General Says US Malls Should Increase Security -- Security Today

Attorney General Says U.S. Malls Should Increase Security

By Matt Holden
Feb 27, 2015

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has stated that shopping mall operators need to increase security through more staff, cameras and other techniques after threats made against the Mall of America and other shopping centers by Somali-based Islamist militants.

"I certainly think we have to step up our sensitivities to what goes on in these commercial enterprises," Holder said in an interview with CNN that aired on Friday. "It would be the responsible thing for operators of these malls to increase their capabilities when it comes to keeping people safe who are just going about their everyday lives."

Holder also said that he would push to lower the standard of proof for civil-rights offenses that would make it easier for the federal government to bring charges in future cases.

"I think that if we adjust those standards, we can make the federal government a better backstop - make us more a part of the process in an appropriate way to reassure the American people that decisions are made by people who are really disinterested," he told Politico.

About the Author

Matt Holden is an Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media, Inc. He received his MFA and BA in journalism from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He currently writes and edits for Occupational Health & Safety magazine, and Security Today.

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