HOUSTON – There’s seemingly been an uptick of crime that’s been reported in or around the Galleria area.
Owned by the Simon Property Group, The Galleria in Houston was once a place everyone looked forward to going to on the weekends and dressed up. It was a staple for luxury shopping and a safe place to hang out with friends and family.
With all of the recent crime reporting in the area or at the mall, KPRC 2 wanted to look into The Galleria’s security commitment and break down what steps the mall is taking to secure shoppers, employees and retailers’ safety.
The Simon Property Group says it has invested millions into its security program to mitigate crime and respond quickly when incidents do occur. It’s program is Safety Act Certified by the Department of Homeland Security which recognizes the mall’s efforts to safeguard the public and collaborating with the Houston Police Department, tenants, neighborhood organizations and others.
The Simon Property Group says The Galleria is among the most protected environments in Houston.
Here is an itemized list for the Houston Galleria’s security plan:
Visible and active patrols
- 24/7 patrols by trained security professionals.
- Paid off-duty police officers supplementing security.
- Nearly 40 police and private security officers patrol during peak traffic periods (highest concentration in Houston except for major events).
Specialized security units
- Two specially trained K9s with armed handlers.
Surveillance technology
- Thousands of CCTV cameras monitoring the shopping center.
- Direct support from the Simon Operations Intelligence Center:
- Real-time risk monitoring using advanced algorithms.
- 24/7 CCTV camera monitoring and dispatching.
- Local, state, and national intelligence gathering.
Police presence
- Eight dedicated Houston Police Department posts at major entrances and strategic locations.
- Two fully operational police substations at both ends of the property.
Vehicle and perimeter security
- License plate readers at all vehicular entrances (providing critical information to HPD).
- Exterior fortification strategy, including:
- Perimeter fencing in parking garages.
- Additional lighting (new LED fixtures with higher illumination in parking garages).
- Updated CCTV cameras and LCD monitors in parking garages.
- Portable CCTV towers with 24-hour surveillance.
- Marked ATVs and patrol vehicles for parking deck patrols.
- Comprehensive crime prevention signage throughout parking decks.
Community and district support
- Collaboration with the Uptown District, which:
- Invests in area-wide license plate readers.
- Assists HPD in crime prevention and surveillance.
- Generates approximately $800 million in sales tax and $4.7 billion in annual retail sales, supporting ongoing area development.