Struggles of security

A common consensus among multiple employees was how security does not seem to do its job, or at the very least, care about preventing theft in stores and protecting workers.

“For one customer, we called security first, and then my boss ended up calling the cops,” Flores said. “The cops ended up getting here before mall security. They got here 30 minutes later and were like, ‘What is the problem?'” 

The issue is not that the security is not doing their jobs, as they are not allowed to attack or restrain anyone physically, but that they do not put a pep in their step. Employees perceive mall security as having a carefree attitude toward their duties. On the other hand, Chris Ramirez, a security guard for Tanforan Target, discloses his side of the story.

“We can’t detain them or anything; you just don’t want to cause conflict with them further,” Ramirez said. “If it is a direct threat to you or anyone, then yeah, you can do something about it, but if it’s just a threat, and they’re walking away, that’s when you call the cops.”

Employees are not wrong for having feelings of uselessness attached to mall security, but, as demonstrated by what Ramirez said, there are those out there who commit to protecting workers and customers alike.

On the contrary, there are differences in expectations and types of environment between the security guards of Target and the mall’s security guards. Mall security patrols the whole mall or sets of sections for specific amounts of time without any other further instructions.

Solving this problem requires having specific guidelines for the security of a store or particular area in the mall, which is one possible solution to solving the struggles of general safety and how security can do better.