Mall Security, how is it?

[#1TPS]

I was wondering, for those who work with mall securtiy, how is it? How is the job, the training, the uniforms and equipment, and the team? For those who work for mall security or those who have knowledge of it, can you provide information on everything about mall security? Thanks.

[jeff194307]

I worked mall security in Sacramento from 1983-1989 for a company called Vanguard Security. As far as I know that company no longer exists and it is a sad thing because it was a great company to work for. As to your question, there are many variables such as who manages the mall, where it is located, what security company has the contract, and so on. I cannot tell you what it like because I only worked one mall and I am very sure that there are extreme variations of what the work is like. All I can tell you is follow your post orders to the letter.

[NRM_Oz]

Mall Security Downunder

In my state (NSW), Mall Security is provided by the "dregs of the industry" as the contracted company does it for such a low rate (below what a normal S/O would receive as an hourly wage and there are no penalties so you usually get some illiterate idiot who speaks no English, or someone who just wants to fight with the SL's. I have witnessed SL's being assaulted and even arrested an SL at a client's store, was given grief when these thugs turned up en-masse to intimidate the SL whilst he was compliant with me. Yes both the police and I did make a formal complaint against these idiots but it was pushed aside when a TV camera recorded them them brawling in a back carpark (in uniform) with a locl street gang who kicked buttocks.

I think this suddenly made my complaint less important as all 10 of them were charged with assault and a change of guard with his mall immediate. 1 company I know of provides o/night security for carpark duties and when I found out the staff are paid 1/3 less than award wages did not bother chasing up the damage done to my car on a faulty boom gate (it was followed up through centre management the next day) as no reports were filed or even entries made in log books of the accident.

[EH126]

I work in mall security right now and it can vary from mall to mall. But were I'm at, the pay is decent but the training is not what I would like it to be in my opinion. But then again, we have to work with what we have, which is just starting to change a little for the better.

Lastly, I'll add that if you have a strong customer service background and are good with conflict deescalation, then you'll be set.

[Taktiq]

I worked mall security in Sacramento from 1983-1989 for a company called Vanguard Security. As far as I know that company no longer exists and it is a sad thing because it was a great company to work for. As to your question, there are many variables such as who manages the mall, where it is located, what security company has the contract, and so on. I cannot tell you what it like because I only worked one mall and I am very sure that there are extreme variations of what the work is like. All I can tell you is follow your post orders to the letter.

Yep, Vanguard still exists. It may be a different company using the same name, but who knows because there is a Vanguard Security that's occasionally hiring for mall security around here.

[FireEMSPolice]

I am a Sergeant/Shift Supervisor at a mall. We are in-house. It all depends who is running your operation. Mine is ok but I dont know sometimes. We are unarmed, told to give a professional appearance but our uniforms are white so they are dirty, our vehicle is a rolling billboard, our technology is outdated, etc.

[ddog]

I am a Sergeant/Shift Supervisor at a mall. We are in-house. It all depends who is running your operation. Mine is ok but I dont know sometimes. We are unarmed, told to give a professional appearance but our uniforms are white so they are dirty, our vehicle is a rolling billboard, our technology is outdated, etc.

Yeah, depending on the surrounding neighborhoods, malls would appear to be a big target for crooks, so you would have to be ready to rumble at a moments notice. Oh well, good football players never have clean white pants

[Badge714]

We generally stay way from malls because we don't want to have our company seen as "mall guards."

[motorcitymadness]

I was wondering, for those who work with mall securtiy, how is it? How is the job, the training, the uniforms and equipment, and the team? For those who work for mall security or those who have knowledge of it, can you provide information on everything about mall security? Thanks.

I guess it depends on what area your in, I work in an area where we have a homeless population that is out of control and teenagers that are out of control, so I guess you can guess from that statement what are two biggest headaches are teens and the homeless.....

But overall it can be a fun experience if you like to people watch and you don't want the regular security job which requires to watch parked vehicles or sit in a guard shack...

Some fun things at the mall that you'll deal with that you don't deal with other security guard jobs are retail frauds, people having sex in your parking lot believe it or not that happens more than you'd think, jewerly store larcenies, tons of confrontations with irate patrons.....

If you like a faster paced environment and like interacting with people than I think you'd like the mall type environment if your starting off in security....

[ozsecuritychic]

In my state (NSW), Mall Security is provided by the "dregs of the industry" as the contracted company does it for such a low rate (below what a normal S/O would receive as an hourly wage and there are no penalties so you usually get some illiterate idiot who speaks no English, or someone who just wants to fight with the SL's.

sorry is $21 an hour bad, I also get penalty rates and first aid allowance, holidays and sickies Hey but we are the "dregs of the industry"