INTRODUCING A TEEN CURFEW

A parental escort policy, or curfew, should be introduced with care, and only after other avenues have been pursued, say shopping center security experts.

One measure that should always be taken first is the introduction of a code of conduct, said Jonathan Lusher, senior vice president of consulting and inspectional services at security consulting firm IPC International, Bannockburn, Ill.

Security guards should be instructed on applying the code fairly and evenly, and receive specialized training on dealing with teen-agers. Also, centers can be designed differently, landscaped and leased to avoid creating problems, he added.

If those measures prove ineffective, a curfew should be considered, after consultation with the center’s merchants, local police, corporate attorneys and perhaps even the American Civil Liberties Union.

But first the policy must be well-publicized through local media and center flyers for a lengthy period prior to being instituted — even though it usually isn’t surprising to anyone when a program is announced.

“Even the kids know [beforehand],” said Don Story, director of corporate security for Crown American Realty Trust, Johnstown, Pa.

— D.H.