over-zealous mall security

[RustyShackleford]

So, I'm at a local boutique mall today, talking on my cell phone,
feeling tired, and half lie down in the bench I'm sitting on. Mall
security guy shows up, interrupts my conversation and asks me
to sit up or stand up. I promptly comply.

As he's walking away, I say on the phone "just some idiot mall guy".
He comes back and says "did you say 'idiot' ?", I say "yes", and he asks
me to leave the mall, which I do. Please note that I addressed my
remark to the person on the other end of the cell phone, did not say
it loudly, and used no profanity (or anything approaching), and promptly
complied with all the security guy's requests.

I'm wondering what to think of this. This is a pretty small mall, full
of boutique/niche type stores that are struggling (a good friend works
at one, so I know). The last thing in the world these businesses need
is a jerk like this guy chasing people away. (As a matter of fact, one of
my purposes at the mall was researching a ~$200 purchase). Maybe
I am over-reacting, but the guy strikes me as probably a police-officer
wannabee and was bored (the mall was empty, as usual) and looking
for anything to spice up his day, and throwing his weight around like
this was just the ticket. Not to be mean-spirited, by frankly, I want to
now throw MY weight around and make some sort of complaint against
this guy; to the mall owners, the store owners, the local paper ?

No doubt some of you think I should have been led away in handcuffs,
but I'd be interested in hearing anyone's thoughts ...

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Guy probably catches flack all the time. Being called an idiot probably set him off. I think you should have tasered him.

 

[OAG]

You assessment of the "Security Officer" seems about right. If he had been smart he should have ignored your comment, especially if he was not "armed". IMO we have come a long way now. Any deviation of what is "normal" is going to get attention in public. It is too bad he "ran you off" the premises. Personally, I would go back and see the Mall Manager and give him a written summation of what occurred and hope he or she takes appropriate action.

 

[haha]

I would have just answered no to his question about "ïdiot". In any case, I believe your analysis is correct.

ha

 

[RustyShackleford]

Guy probably catches flack all the time.

No, I don't think so. Pretty mellow friendly area. I think he's a jerk.
In fact, some quick googling (ain't that the best kind ?) yields some other
comments about jerky security folks at this same mall - but not necessarily
the same guy.

Being called an idiot probably set him off. I think you should have tasered him.

"Don't taser me bro' !!" But seriously, not to nitpick, but this is pretty
important: I did NOT CALL him an idiot, I REFERRED to him as one. If I had
been thinking more clearly, I would have said "I was not speaking to you".

 

[RustyShackleford]

I would have just answered no to his question about "ïdiot". In any case, I believe your analysis is correct.

ha

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but what do you think I should do ?

1. Letter to mall owner.
2. Letter to business owners.
3. Letter to local newspaper.
4. Get over it.
5. Other.
6. All of the above.
7. None of the above.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

I was joking about the taser comment. Yeah like OAG said maybe make a complaint to the mall manager. Probably wouldn't sit well with me either

 

[Koolau]

Guy probably catches flack all the time. Being called an idiot probably set him off. I think you should have tasered him.

Don't taz me bro!

Seriously, years ago a mall security guy came up to me and, very apologetically asked me not to sit on the edge of the planter box. He explained that kids (code word for mall rats, I suppose) hang out and sit there and he has been instructed to shoo them away (shoo is my word). He explained that he couldn't ask them to leave without doing the same with (somehow he said this politely) older folks too. I was happy to comply with such a gentleman who was just doing what he was required to do.


How differently Notmuchlonger might have reacted had he been treated with such respect. "I'm so sorry sir, but we've had complaints about kids loitering on the benches. As you can see we don't have kids here today, but I'm required to request all our guests to either sit or stand. I hope you understand."

How difficult would it be to make a polite 'request' instead of a brusque command. All mall employees should be as customer friendly as possible. After all, their j*b depends upon customers returning.

My suggestion to NML is simply not to return to that mall. When it closes (as such malls have been doing lately) that $9/hr super-cop will be pounding the pavement for real - looking for another j*b!

 

[RustyShackleford]

Yeah like OAG said maybe make a complaint to the mall manager.

I've heard the mall owners want to "clean the place up" and make it
less "hippy'ish", thinking the kind of high-roller clientele they hope to
attract will be more likely to come. I don't look "hippy'ish", but do
normally sport jeans and t-shirt. So I'm thinking the mall owners
will not be very responsive.

 

[73ss454]

Just wondering, what would you have done if as he was walking away the guard would have said idiot?

 

[RustyShackleford]

My suggestion to NML is simply not to return to that mall. When it closes (as such malls have been doing lately) that $9/hr super-cop will be pounding the pavement for real - looking for another j*b!

Actually I'm the OP, not NML. But, good suggestion. I'm tempted to go
back to buy that $200 item, first making sure the security guy sees me.
If he follows me in and makes trouble, I'll tell the store "never mind, I
can just buy this off the internet cheaper anyhow" (true, and tempting,
but for that guilt thing re. supporting local businesses).

 

[RustyShackleford]

Just wondering, what would you have done if as he was walking away the guard would have said idiot?

Probably nothing; at most, I would have written a letter of complaint.
As a customer of the mall, I believe their employee has a duty to be
polite to me. I try to be polite to people too, just on general principles.
The situation is not symmetrical.

If you have a point to make, please make it.
(You may think you have already; I think not).

 

[73ss454]

Well, maybe the guard should write a letter of complaint to your SO, if you have one.

Wasn't really trying to make a point, just wondering how you would have handled it.

If you think about it the whole thing is kind of funny.

 

[Payin-the-Toll]

Maybe he's just mad about that 'Mall Cop" movie that came out (haven't seen it).

 

[FinallyRetired]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but what do you think I should do ?

1. Letter to mall owner.
2. Letter to business owners.
3. Letter to local newspaper.
4. Get over it.
5. Other.
6. All of the above.
7. None of the above.

I'd vote for 1 and 2. Since they're struggling, they can't afford to have potential customers treated without courtesy. Unless one of the stores in the mall is a Verizon store, in which case they may have you tazed.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Well, maybe the guard should write a letter of complaint to your SO, if you have one.

Dude, you really are a master of half-assed innuendo.

Here, I'll try to be nicer: cool car, dude !

 

[Darryl]

Let it go.

If you have a genuine concern for the health of the mall you could let the manager know what happened.

Homeless people living and sleeping in the mall are bad for business.
People calling staff idiots is a bad atmosphere for other customers to have to be part of and not the best for morale or employee retention.
Overzealous security running off potential customers is also bad for business.

Manager can make appropriate adjustment to protect the business.

#1,2, 3, or 6 are all over the top. If you sit up in public and don't call peope names life might be more enjoyable.

 

[riskadverse]

. ...I try to be polite to people too, just on general principles. ...

Referring to someone as an idiot within their hearing range does not qualify as polite.

 

[Koolau]

Actually I'm the OP, not NML.

Yeah Caught that 'bout as soon as I pushed the send button! Never tried to edit before, so my "edit" is in the 'reason for edit' line.

 

[DangerMouse]

Truthfully I think you should walk away and let it go. Try walking in this guys shoes for a day and any of us may have reacted the same. This mall cop is at the low end of the food chain with crappy duties and crappy pay so why add more crap to his pile. Who knows what has gone on in his life that caused him to act the way he did towards you. Should he have spoken to you the way he did - probably not. However in the big picture of life does it really matter. With everything going on in the world today I wouldn't figure getting upset over something trivial is not a productive use of your time or energy. Mark it down to experience and move on.

 

[Dawg52]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but what do you think I should do ?

1. Letter to mall owner.
.

This is what I would do.

 

[73ss454]

Dude, you really are a master of half-assed innuendo.

Here, I'll try to be nicer: cool car, dude !

OK you're right, you call him an idiot and you want to write a letter to his boss. Takes all kinds I guess. Still think it's pretty funny, a grown man getting thrown out of a mall.

Yeah, my car is pretty cool, thanks.

 

[dex]

No doubt some of you think I should have been led away in handcuffs,
but I'd be interested in hearing anyone's thoughts ...

I think you should have been taken into a back room had your head wrapped in a towel and then beaten with a phone book. But, that's just me.

A guy doing his job, keeping a level of decorum in a boutique mall. Most likely doesn't get paid too well for it and is the butt of jokes.
Movie Review - Paul Blart: Mall Cop - A Hapless Security Guard Runs Amok - NYTimes.com

There might of been other customers who wrote letters to the mall owners complaining about people lying down on the benches and as a result the security guard was instructed to tell people not to do it.

If a person is doing a good job they deserve respect - especially those that deal with the general public. I think your comment is more of a reflection on you than the security guard. Again, that's just me.

 

[haha]

I also think letter writing is little much in this case. Neither of you distinguished yourselves in this affair. He likely realizes that he messed up by returning to harass you. You maybe realize that the is within his rights to ask you to sit, rather than semi-recline on a bench.

A big job in malls today is preventing loutish behavior, which can chase away customers and also lead to violence. I see someone reclining on a bench I immediately think this person is ill or a bum. He probably did too.

Ha

 

[Coach]

As others have suggested, I'd have a word with mall management. This guy is doing the mall harm.

Coach