After the tragic incident with the stabbed 15-year-old boy, Georgi Ermenkov, a former security manager in one of the Sofia malls, appeared on the air of “Hello, Bulgaria“. He emphasized that the lack of sufficient security and weak control over private security companies are among the main reasons for such incidents.
“It is not only the security that is at fault, but also the mall itself, as there is not enough security. The fact that the perpetrator managed to escape is a huge oversight,“ said Ermenkov.
He explained that many shopping centers lack the necessary number of employees, especially during busy hours: “In the particular mall that I know well, there should be at least 15-20 people per shift. However, in reality there are five or six people. With such a capacity of visitors, this is extremely insufficient“.
“There are no mandatory rules for the number and training of security guards“
The former manager pointed out that in Bulgaria there are no legally prescribed minimum standards for the number and qualification of security guards in malls: “There are no such rules. This should be adopted by a vote of parliament or introduced as a requirement at the national level. Currently, each mall decides for itself how many people to hire and what requirements to set for them“.
Regarding the qualifications of security guards, Ermenkov explained: “A security guard must have at least a secondary education, be mentally healthy and have completed a security course. But the control by the State Security Service is extremely weak. There are not enough checks, there is no real supervision over the companies“.
“Not all entrances can be blocked, but there must be metal frames“
According to Ermenkov, new security measures are imperative, especially with regard to entrance checks: “Not all entrances can be closed, because malls are large and have a large flow of people, but metal frames and devices for checking weapons can be installed. This is a practice in many European countries and works perfectly“.
He gave an example of Turkey: “I was there recently – in every large shopping center there are frames and guards at the entrance. It feels like an airport. Yes, the equipment is expensive, but it guarantees security“.
“The security guards have the right to react, but they rarely do so“
Ermenkov specified that the security guards have the right to stop and check a visitor if he behaves suspiciously: “Of course, they have the right to stop a person, ask for documents or take him out of the mall if they consider him to be a risk profile. The question is whether they do it – and often they don't because they are afraid or are not trained enough“.
“The police and the gendarmerie have an effect – when there are“
The former manager recalled that some time ago there was an effective practice – patrols and gendarmerie in front of malls, which, however, was a temporary solution: “People respected each other. But this only lasted a month or two after a previous incident. Then everything stopped“.
“The cameras are old, there are many dead spots“
Regarding video surveillance, Ermenkov was categorical that it was not effective: “The cameras detect at most 10% of crimes. The technology is outdated, faces cannot be seen clearly, there are too many dead zones. There is video surveillance everywhere, but it doesn't really work“.
“There must be legal rules and control – security costs money, but saves lives“
In conclusion, Georgi Ermenkov called for clear and mandatory rules for security in malls: “There should be a common standard for all shopping centers – how many security guards, what qualifications, what checks. This is an investment, but an investment in people's lives. Security costs money, but it also costs peace of mind“.