Wednesday, February 13, 2008

We're the Only Ones Who Can Hit the Side of a Bus Enough

A few years ago on Long Island, an off-duty Nassau County police officer providing security for a jewelry store took off in pursuit of an armed robber through Garden City, N.Y.'s Roosevelt Field Mall. When the chase led outside, the officer drew his gun and fired, only to hit the side of a school bus full of handicapped elementary school students.

What is it with "Only Ones" and the disabled...?

This is just a bit of prep work by the International Council of Shopping centers for their upcoming "Mall Violence Conference." As per usual, it will be steered to foregone conclusions by risk managers who wouldn't have a clue on how to respond were they under fire, and the consensus will be the American consumer will tolerate damn near anything, so metal detectors and physical searches will become a cost of doing business and a accepted way of life.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This from the "Mall Violence Conference".

"They need to invest more in security too, because it's just as important to make a customer feel safe in your store."

Here's a poll for you. Would you rather "feel safe" or actually "be safe".

Hmmmmm?

Kent McManigal said...

Ignorance is all it takes to "feel safe". Resolve, training, alertness can make you safer. Nothing can ever actually make you totally safe. However, the very things that can make the ignorant among us "feel safe" can decrease actual safety.

chris horton said...

Lucky for me I don't frequent shopping malls. Gun Free Zones be Damned!

Anonymous said...

Guess I'll be doing more shopping on the 'net.

Ken said...

Can't think of anything I'd want bad enough from the mall that I'd consent to a search or go through a metal detector to get it....

Anonymous said...

""Metal detectors are used in schools and they can be very effective in preventing shootings," LaRocca said."

It's a mystery to me how _anyone_ could think such a thing to be true. It might make sure no one is present who could _stop_ a shooter but the guy wanting to do the shooting isn't really to concerned about the metal detector going off. He is, after all, going to be making a _lot_ of noise anyway.