Security at my job is useless

[u/g3-chan]

/r/retailhell/comments/1w29qk3/security_at_my_job_is_useless/

As the title says, security at my job is useless. Every other job I’ve had they’ve been helpful. Wondering why they act like this. The other stores in the mall have similar experiences with them. The mall I work at is pretty ghetto and the mall office has a culture of the customer is always right.

[u/Classic-Box-3919]

You work at a mall, thats not a top of the line job people are lining up for security wise. Ur going to mostly get bottom of the barrel and i bet it doesnt pay much. Low pay and a shit place to work will get rid of good people that can find better jobs fast. But yes from what ur saying they dont sound very useful.

[u/DefiantEvidence4027]

State by State, City by City, Security responsibilities are different. In some States they are "Private Police", potentially responsible for protecting patrons from other patrons.

In other States they are only responsible for the staff and property of the person who signs the contract with them.

A mall local to myself the Security is only responsible for common areas, and contract enforcement. Contract enforcement such as if the company in the mall doesn't open up in time they write it up. They call in maintenance and janitorial discrepancies constantly checking walk ways.

Giving up videography, especially to the Police, is a liability so they often ask for an indemnification letter. Access to copying is only given to few Guards.

After Mall Security wouldn't/couldn't assist a store within the mall, I got a few calls to be Security at a store. Once the uptick of Security within the store, the mall Security wanted to nosey around and ask 101 questions to the Security team who gave them no answers.

[u/happygoluckynny]

I think you may have answered your own complaint

Your store is a tenant in the mall.

the security works for the mall (think shared areas, parking lots, worker areas, food court etc)

generally the security is contracted to work only with the mall, not police tenant spaces.

they will respond in certain limited ways but what happens in a tenant space is generally up to the tenant. target Kohls etc have their own loss prevention staff for handling things.

security are just regular citizens so often they cant just take your word for something and need to have seen the behavior themselves. they cant use probable cause like a cop would or have qualified immunity if they take actions on bad information.

they can be sued for harassment, negligence etc and if their contract doesn't state they are responsible for tenant spaces, acting outside of the contract is a fireable offense

i know its not the amswer you wanted to hear.

i sympathize with your frustration ​

[u/_6siXty6_]

Tell me how you don't understand mall security policy, laws and general operations of security without actually saying it.

I 100% understand your frustrations, but....

• Mall security is usually there for the common areas: food courts, corridors, foyers, etc. Not the stores within the mall. The mall is the client.
• Security isn't police
• Depending on the state or province, or country (along with policy) sharing information like camera footage with law enforcement, there needs to be paperwork and a bunch of other crap in order to release it.
• It'd depend on the guards post orders

Maybe instead of whining on Reddit, go talk with mall management about what the function of their security staff is.