News
Providence Place mall security plan adds K-9s and all-day escort rule
Providence Place mall security is changing: new owners plan retired K-9 patrols, a CCTV command center and an adult escort rule for minors at all hours.
The new owners of Providence Place in Rhode Island announced a broader mall security plan this week, with retired K-9 teams, a round-the-clock camera command center and an adult escort rule for minors during all mall hours, WPRI reported. The changes arrive just before the holiday shopping season.
Key points#
- Pyramid Management Group, Paolino Properties and DW Partners bought the mall for $133 million in August and announced the plan on Nov. 4, according to WPRI.
- Minors must now have an adult with them at all hours, where last year's rule applied after 5 p.m., WPRI reported.
- Retired Rhode Island State Police K-9s and their handlers will patrol the mall, WPRI reported.
- Co-owner Joe Paolino said security staff will use judgment and that ID checks at the entrances are not planned, WJAR reported.
What the plan includes#
WPRI reported that security staff will have advanced training in defensive tactics, gang recognition, crowd control and hazardous materials response. The team will increase patrols outside the building and watch it 24/7 from an on-site CCTV command center.
The owners also plan a digital mass notification system that sends emergency messages by text and email to visitors and employees who opt in, according to WPRI.
The broader plan includes hiring people with law enforcement and military backgrounds, WJAR reported. Paolino gave no exact start date for every change but expects them within the next few weeks, the station said.
The escort rule and how it will work#
The two stations describe the age limit differently. WPRI cited a press release saying anyone under 17 needs an adult over 21, while WJAR described the rule as covering anyone younger than 18.
The owners' release warned of regular compliance sweeps and law enforcement checkpoints, WPRI reported. Paolino played that down in an interview and said enforcement would depend on officers reading each situation, according to WJAR.
Where the model came from#
Pyramid said the plan was first used at Destiny USA in Syracuse, New York, and claimed a 50% drop in property crime and a 75% drop in overall incidents there, WPRI reported. Those figures come from the company, and the reports did not include independent data.
What it means for your company#
- Write down how a rule is enforced. A rule that depends on judgment needs clear post orders: who approaches a guest, the words to use and when to call a supervisor.
- Separate the announcement from the practice. Ask a retail client what a sweep or a checkpoint means on a real Saturday before you staff it.
- Plan exterior coverage. More outside patrols take officers and time, so build them into the patrol routes and the bid.
- Document every contact. Disputes with minors and parents can escalate, so have officers file a factual incident report each time.
- Check the law first. Age-based rules and dog patrols raise legal questions, so ask an attorney or the state agency before you adopt either one.
Guardix is software for security companies that keeps post orders, patrols and reports in one place.
Frequently asked questions#
What is changing at Providence Place?#
The mall's new owners announced retired K-9 patrols, a CCTV command center, more exterior patrols, emergency text and email alerts and an adult escort rule for minors during all hours, WPRI reported.
Will shoppers have their ID checked at the door?#
Co-owner Joe Paolino said ID checks at the entrances will not happen and that security staff will use their judgment, WJAR reported.
Sources#
- Retail
- Malls
- Rhode Island