Security Survey of Bay Street Mall: Risks and Readiness
This paper presents a security survey of Bay Street Mall in Emeryville, California, a large mixed-use complex housing over 60 retail stores, restaurants, a movie theater, a hotel, and residential units. The paper identifies key physical security vulnerabilities — including the absence of bollards, unprotected service areas, and inadequate perimeter controls — and evaluates the mall's existing resources such as CCTV systems, staff training programs, and written emergency procedures. It also critiques the mall's strengths, including vehicle inspection protocols and behavioral profiling, alongside notable weaknesses such as poor coordination with first responders and limited communication between mall security and anchor-store personnel.
- Overview of Bay Street Mall: Facility description, amenities, and survey objectives
- Physical Security Concerns: Perimeter vulnerabilities, bollards, and delivery area risks
- Emergency Plans and Resources: Training programs, CCTV systems, and evacuation procedures
- Terrorism as a Security Category: Strengths: Vehicle inspection and behavioral profiling strengths
- Threats and Hazards: Weaknesses in Coordination: Communication gaps with first responders and anchor stores
- Conclusion: Summary of security strengths and critical remaining gaps
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper moves logically from description to diagnosis to evaluation, giving each section a distinct purpose rather than repeating the same points.
- Concrete, site-specific details — such as the absence of bollards, underground delivery areas, and phone-only communication with first responders — ground the analysis in observable conditions rather than generalities.
- The critique section is well-structured around recognized security industry categories (terrorism; threats and hazards), which gives the strengths-and-weaknesses analysis a professional framework.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses a structured security-survey methodology: it first describes the facility, then identifies vulnerabilities, then assesses existing countermeasures, and finally evaluates performance against recognized threat categories. This mirrors real-world security assessment practice and shows students how applied analysis differs from purely descriptive writing — every observation is tied to a security implication.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a facility overview, then dedicates a section to physical security vulnerabilities before turning to the mall's existing resources and emergency plans. The final analytical section is split implicitly into two industry categories — terrorism (strengths) and threats/hazards (weaknesses) — before closing. This four-part arc (describe → diagnose → evaluate resources → critique) is a standard format for applied security assessments at the undergraduate level.
Overview of Bay Street Mall
Bay Street Mall is situated in Emeryville, California. It can be described as a mega mall, comprising over 60 retail stores, 10 cafes and restaurants, a major movie theater, a large hotel with more than 200 rooms, and several residential units. Other amenities within the mall include telecommunication services, foreign exchange bureaus, and children's play areas. The complex is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week, including weekends and public holidays. The objective of this paper is to conduct a security survey of the mall, identify the key security concerns facing this facility, and assess its resources and plans for withstanding any emergency that may occur.
Physical Security Concerns
Following a survey of the mall, a number of key security concerns were identified. From a physical security standpoint, the buildings within the vicinity have notable vulnerabilities, including the service areas, the outer perimeter of the mall, the pavements, and the pedestrian entrances. One significant issue is that the landscaping of Bay Street Mall does not reduce the potential speed of incoming vehicles. Studies indicate that terrorist attacks on malls have most commonly involved explosives, yet the mall lacks static bollards, which are designed to prevent such incidents. An area protected by bollards provides a blast stand-off distance in the event of an explosion near the complex and prevents vehicles from ramming into the building's structure. Without this protection, a vehicle approaching the perimeter at high speed could enter the building and, if carrying explosives, cause serious injury and harm.
The mall's service and delivery areas also present a significant security risk. Because they are located underground, an explosion beneath the buildings could have severe consequences. Due to the absence of barriers, the existing perimeter cannot reliably deter unauthorized vehicles, screen planned deliveries, or enable the verification of vehicles entering the site.1
Emergency Plans and Resources
Bay Street Mall does have plans and resources in place to support its ability to manage emergencies. Among its key resources are ongoing personnel training programs. The mall plans to continue providing its security staff with antiterrorism training and has contracted a state security company to deliver organizational programs ensuring that security personnel are well prepared to respond to emergency situations. Staff are comprehensively trained by specialists in areas such as identifying potential terrorists, recognizing suspicious packages, securing the area following an attack, and coordinating with first responders.2
Another important resource is the mall's closed-circuit television (CCTV) system. These cameras are used throughout the facility both to deter potential threats and to maintain situational awareness. The mall has installed sophisticated systems that are monitored continuously and record events occurring within the mall, enabling security personnel to review footage after an incident. This real-time monitoring helps prevent potential attacks. Additionally, the interior of the mall has been fitted with air decontamination technology designed to purify the air in the event of smoke or other harmful pollutants.
The mall has also established written emergency plans that outline the steps to be taken in the event of a threat or an actual emergency. Procedures following a threat include restricting access to critical areas, increasing the presence of security personnel, and maintaining close watch over parking areas and entrances. In the event of an actual emergency — such as a gas leak, fire, or suspected bombing — defined procedures cover evacuations, crisis communications, basic first aid and triage, and the handling of lost children and unattended property. Additional procedures specify how to contact emergency services, communicate with designated emergency management personnel such as the security manager, provide first aid to injured individuals, ensure people evacuate the mall, and seal off specific sections of the building. Evacuation routes have been clearly marked throughout the facility.3
Conclusion
Bay Street Mall demonstrates meaningful investment in security infrastructure, including CCTV systems, staff training, and written emergency procedures. Its vehicle management and behavioral profiling practices reflect genuine attention to the terrorism threat. However, critical gaps remain — particularly the absence of bollards at the perimeter, the vulnerability of underground service areas, and the lack of structured communication protocols with first responders and anchor-store security teams. Addressing these weaknesses would substantially improve the mall's overall preparedness and resilience in the face of emergencies.
References
Davis, Robert C., Christopher Ortiz, Robert Rowe, Joseph Broz, George Rigakos, and Pam Collins. "An assessment of the preparedness of large retail malls to prevent and respond to terrorist attack." A report submitted to US Department of Justice (2006).
LaTourrette, Tom. Reducing Terrorism Risk at Shopping Centers: An Analysis of Potential Security Options. Vol. 401. Rand Corporation, 2006.
Lutchminarain, Natasha. "Safety as a priority at shopping centres in Gauteng: an assessment of existing security measures." PhD diss., 2015.
Norman, Thomas. "Physical Security Risk and Countermeasures: Effectiveness Metrics." CSO. Retrieved from:
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