Arden Fair Mall in Sacramento rolls out state-of-the-art program                             By Steve Reed, Security & Guest Services Manager – Arden Fair Mall

Arden Fair Mall has implemented a license plate reader program in partnership with the Sacramento Police Department (SPD) that has generated strong results to date.  It is the first partnership in the nation where private security has been able to scan plates and be connected to our local police department who receives the information.   

We have worked to secure two grants from Homeland Security (totaling $100,000) which made this program possible.  Arden Fair Security receives downloads of “hot lists” daily from the Department of Justice through the SPD.  As a result, over 1 million plates have been scanned in our parking lots in the six months since its implementation.  These scans have assisted law enforcement in recovering seventeen stolen vehicles; eleven of which ended in arrests.  Those eleven arrests led to the recovery of altered drivers licenses, stolen credit cards, stolen mail and fresh theft arrests inside the mall. 

Our security team reviews CCTV footage and tracks suspects after they leave their vehicle once specific license plates are highlighted.  They observe and report, and then contact law enforcement for apprehension.  In addition to stolen vehicles, the license plate readers also afford our team the capability to find misplaced vehicles.  Additionally, information may also be used by law enforcement as an investigative tool as it creates a data base if any incident occurs in our lots.  This was approved by both the Sacramento Police Department and the Department of Justice.

We were pleased to recently host CALSAGA members and the CALSAGA Board of Directors on a tour of our security operation at the Mall, and strongly appreciate our working relationship with CALSAGA.