Police-station-at-Boca-mall
October 5th, 2008
By Dale M. King
CITY EDITOR
Management of the Town Center at Boca Raton mall added another rung to its security ladder Thursday when it unveiled the mall’s new closed-circuit television command post for use by Boca Raton police.
The ribbon cutting took place at 9 a.m. in the new wing of The Terrace, directly above Chico’s.
The new 1,700-square-foot substation will be the operational base for the Boca Raton police officers currently assigned to patrol Town Center at Boca Raton and will include workspace for four Crime Prevention Unit members.
In addition, the sub station will be staffed by a Community Service Officer and civilian volunteers who will assist patrons with police reports and fingerprinting. A conference room, separate processing area and video surveillance room complete the facility.
“Law enforcement has had an on-site presence at Town Center for 15 years,” said Joseph Cilia, general manager of Town Center. “We are pleased to present this joint project that is the culmination of efforts and work begun in 2006.”
“In addition to it being an expansion of both the mall and city services,” Cilia said, “it will be the monitoring point for all of the newly installed cameras -- including those in the the parking areas, on decks and interior of the mall,” he said.
“These new cameras,” Cilia noted, “complement the already more than 900 cameras on the property which receive comprehensive views of the property, the parking fields, parking decks and the area around the property.”
“This facility enhances our service to the public by consolidating all of our Town Center resources in one convenient and customer-friendly location,” said Police Chief Dan Alexander. “This substation also increases our efficiency and law enforcement presence with the addition of the Boca Raton Police Crime Prevention Unit at this site.”
Simon Properties, owner of the mall, drastically increased security last year after three incidents that left three people dead and one woman shaken from an abduction were found to have connections to the mall.
Attending the opening were members of the Boca Raton Police Services Department, city officials and members of the newly formed Community Safety Task Force for Boca Raton whose mission is to build a safer community through communication, awareness and commitment to action.
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