Mall of America's new security will include gun-sniffing dogs
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Officers on bike patrol at the Mall of America in March. Photo: Audrey Kennedy/Axios
The Mall of America is training its first firearm-sniffing dog and evaluating a gunshot detection system as part of new security measures revealed to reporters last week.
The big picture: Security has become a front-of-mind issue in the wake of high-profile shootings — including the January shooting that left one dead — at MOA, which saw over 32 million visitors last year.
- Staff members have recently been giving news media inside looks at mall security, including tours of the control room where several officers monitor its "extensive" camera network 24/7.
What's new: The K-9 unit just brought in an 8-week-old puppy that will soon begin training to detect any component of a firearm, though the mall hasn't determined how many dogs will be in the program.
- The gunshot detection system, which is still being evaluated, would instantly notify security, who then determine if the mall should initiate lockdown.
Details: The current lockdown procedures — including sending mass notifications to visitors and staff, changing digital signs and locking the transit center doors— can now be initiated with just one button.
State of play: The mall staffs unarmed patrol officers, including plainclothes officers and a bike patrol, a K-9 unit with six explosive-detection dogs and an intelligence analyst. Additional part-time officers monitor the 3pm curfew for kids under 16.
- The Bloomington Police Department also has 12 full-time armed officers stationed inside.
Reality check: Though security ran over 50,000 people through metal detectors for several weeks at some entrances during a pilot program last fall, they decided it wasn't a good fit, vice president of security Will Bernhjelm told Axios.
- "It's not like Target Field — we're a very open environment. There are 27 public entrances. … The mall wasn't built with this in mind," Bernhjelm said.
Of note: While the mall uses license plate readers, a spokesperson said it is not yet using facial recognition technology.