Call of duty
Published: 28 August, 2008
Security at the Elephant & Castle shopping centre in south-east London has improved in leaps and bounds over the last four years, thanks to the high level of commitment from centre manager Mike Knell and the centre's dedicated security team.
When Knell first joined the team at the end of 2003 he was presented with reports 14 pages long listing incidents that had occurred within the scheme - fights commonly broke out in the centre, and vagrants and shoplifters were a constant problem. Now, however, that has been reduced to a maximum of one and a half pages a month, thanks to the training he has given the First Security team, and the level of pride the security guards take in delivering a consistently high standard of service.
Knell says: "I try to integrate everybody and make them feel safe and welcome. Everybody within the centre - security, cleaning, my staff - we have all worked hard to achieve a powerful 'feel good' factor within the centre."
The security guards have received training to a very high standard - even higher than some of the beat bobbies. In fact, only three months ago two guards were presented with Bravery Awards at New Scotland Yard for successfully combating a man who had entered the centre wielding a large kitchen knife.
"The training we've given them has only been in the last three years. Prior to that it was my knowledge," says Knell, who is ex-forces. "There were minor things that they weren't doing, which they are doing now and it's safer for them and the people around them as a result."
Other measures that have helped ensure the centre is a safer place to shop include the presence of metal detectors at the entrance by the train station, which target the commuter criminal.
"The operations are sometimes massive," says Knell. "We're inundated with uniformed policemen and plain clothes guys work with them as well. We've been doing that for at least two years.
"I've also opened an office out the back for the British Transport Police to use. It was a win-win situation for us because we had an office that hardly anyone used and they needed somewhere out the way, off the shop floor. Their presence coming in and going out at any given time - there's no routine - helps because it makes people more wary. They don't know if the police will be around or not.
"Two years ago we were emptying our sharp boxes every month or two and now it's been over a year since we last had them emptied. Again that's down to the vigilance of everybody. We used to get fights on a daily basis but the most crime we get these days is shoplifters chancing their arm."
Knell operates a zero tolerance campaign. Security guards are encouraged to throw vagrants out of the centre and his 'banning the hoodies' policy has also ensured much press attention.
The latest security improvement has been an upgrading of the CCTV system across the centre. The old pan, tilt and zoom analogue CCTV has been replaced with a new digital, high speed, high resolution system with dome cameras from G1.
"I was pushing and pushing to get it done," says Knell, "because our guards did a fantastic job with the old system and will hopefully do an even better one with the new."
The new system includes 16 Pelco dome cameras, nine JVC static high resolution colour dome cameras and one JVC static wide dynamic range camera, plus 20 JVC colour monitors.
G1 director Chris Best says: "You can view instantly anything that happens. Not only can the operators react to a situation but they can also review an incident quickly. Part of the reason this digital recording system was chosen over others in the marketplace is because you can review an incident very quickly, and because it's digital you can read and write at the same time, whereas with analogue you can either record or review - you can't do both. And this one, unlike a lot of digital recording systems, has instant access to recordings."
Knell adds: "The beauty is that if there's an incident in the centre, we can show the police a picture and say 'this is the guy' rather than just giving a verbal description." The photo-quality printer attached to the system means the security team can hand the police a photograph, provide a video recording on DVD or email them a video clip.
In addition, the system is connected to activity detectors so that during the quiet and out-of-hours times the cameras will react to any movement. "If there's someone walking through the centre at 3am then the cameras will pick them up and follow them through the shopping centre," says Best, who explains the sensors get put on at midnight when the centre closes to the public. This means there is no need for manned patrols in the malls during these times.
While the whole shopping centre is set to be completely redeveloped over the coming years, shoppers can be rest assured they are safe in the meantime.
