Shoppers at the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets in Massachusetts will see police officers armed with large guns and other additional security measures this holiday shopping season.
Wrentham Police say that there is no specific threat toward the outlet mall, but that they want to be proactive, especially following the terror attacks in Paris and warnings from the U.S. State Department.
In addition to the officers with long guns, Wrentham Police say there will be:
-Undercover officers trained in behavioral observation techniques
-Officers with K9s trained to detect explosives
-An elevated security observation tower
-Surveillance cameras and other measures behind the scene/not disclosed to the public
Police also say the outlet is unique in the region because it's recognized as an international tourist destination.
Dan Dooley, the outlets' general manager, released the following statement:
"The safety and well-being of our shoppers, retailers and employees at Wrentham Village Premium Outlets is our top priority.
"Many of our security measures are visible to the public, including a robust security force and continuous patrol routes on property and the deployment of law enforcement personnel. Other security measures are not visible to our shoppers and not disclosed to avoid compromising our efforts. All of our efforts are closely coordinated with local and national law enforcement agencies.
"Each center has a detailed security plan in place for the holidays, which we will continually evaluate and modify as needed. Our shoppers at Wrentham Village Premium Outlets are also encouraged to follow Homeland Security's recommendation of "see something, say something" and other general safety tips when in public.
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"Simon [which owns the outlets] is regularly in communication with the Department of Homeland Security and is an active member of the FBI’s Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC). Simon’s security policies and procedures have been safety act certified and designated by the Department of Homeland Security as effective anti-terrorism measures."
