Commercial real estate

Protecting a Popular Tourist Destination

Organization: Mall of America

Location: Bloomington, Minnesota, United States

Customer need: Public safety, Personal safety, Property and asset protection, Evidence documentation

Bloomington, Minnesota, United States, 2023

Mall of America® upgrades surveillance and security with Axis panoramic, pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ), dome, and body worn cameras. Cameras augment bike and foot patrols, K-9 units, and behavioral analysts to maintain a safe and fun environment.

Interior shot of Mall of America showing 4 levels and Axis camera

Relying on multi-layered security measures

Since opening its doors in 1992, Mall of America (MOA) has been touted as one of the top tourist destinations in the world. In addition to the more than 50 restaurants and over 500 stores under its roof, 32 million visitors a year flock to the mall’s dozens of attractions including arcades, a miniature golf course, Minnesota’s largest aquarium, and the largest indoor theme park complete with roller coasters and thrill rides.

To protect shoppers, MOA employs a rigorously-trained team of security officers – patrolling on bikes and on foot, in uniform, and in plain clothes undercover. K-9 units traverse the mall’s three levels sniffing for explosives and other prohibited substances. In addition to officers from the Bloomington Police Department that are assigned to the mall, there are behavioral analysts observing the crowds for potential problems and intelligence analysts combing social media for possible threats. And overarching these security measures are hundreds of surveillance cameras monitoring parking areas, entrances, and public spaces.

“It’s all part of our comprehensive security system,” says Will Bernhjelm, vice president of security for Mall of America. “While no security system is 100 percent foolproof, we feel our layered approach brings us close.” He likens the layers to individual slices of Swiss cheese, “The more layers we build in, the less chance all those holes line up at once.”

Upgrading to better camera technology

When it became evident that MOA’s aging legacy camera system couldn’t sustain the same innovative trajectory as other systems on the market, it was time for a change. “We have a lot of square footage to cover,” says Nick Evert, dispatch and special projects manager for Mall of America. “So, we’re always looking for the best technology that can work with the Genetec video management system that we already have in place.”

Mall of America roller coaster with Axis camera

Collins Electrical Construction Co., their integration partner, recommended they look at the camera portfolio from Axis Communications. “Axis just seemed like a better fit for the mall,” says Mark North, account manager for Collins Electric. “Mall of America has a variety of applications and within the Axis line there is a solution for nearly every situation we encounter, we don’t have to worry about compatibility issues with their video management system. And I especially appreciate that their cameras have features like wide dynamic range to capture clear images even in the mall’s atriums and areas with lots of glass and shiny, reflective surfaces.”

One workhorse camera for the mall is the AXIS Q63 PTZ Camera Series. “The resolution on these cameras is great for identifying individuals,” says Nick Evert. “When we disseminate those images to our internal staff or externally to law enforcement agencies, they really appreciate the clarity.”

Verifying fire door alarms

To protect its occupants and provide an escape route during an emergency Mall of America has installed and alarmed most of its fire doors. “We’ve tied an Axis camera to fire doors so that when the door alarms, security can see what’s happening at that location,” states Nick Evert.

There are so many different environments within Mall of America. The Axis cameras provide us with the advanced features and flexibility we need to meet each area’s surveillance challenges.

Will Bernhjelm

Vice President of Security for Mall of America

Most often it turns out to be someone who’s lost and is just looking for a convenient exit. But other times it might be a suspect trying to flee the mall. “If we can see where that person is leaving, we can alert our security officers or Bloomington Police to apprehend them,” says Evert.

Security also uses the cameras to determine why a door alarm isn’t clearing. “Usually, it’s because someone exiting the fire door doesn’t always make sure it closes,” explains Evert. “That can drastically impact the building’s HVAC system so it’s important to get somebody over there to re-secure the door.” In the winter, if subzero air leaks into those corridors it can freeze pipes. Conversely, in the summer, if hot humid air leaks into those corridors the building loses cooling capacity.

Surveying food court activity

In high traffic areas like the food courts, security relies on AXIS M50 PTZ Camera Series to keep abreast of problems. The camera houses three 5 mega-pixel sensors plus a PTZ camera with 10x option zoom. “We get a lot of activity up there,” explains Nick Evert. “So, it’s nice to be able to have a 360-degree view of those areas and still have the ability to zoom in on a specific group or individual.”

Wide shot of food court area at Mall of America

Bernhjelm also points out that having strategically placed cameras throughout the mall often helps security officers locate lost children and respond quickly to medical emergencies in addition to their other duties.

Clamping down on trespassing

Mall of America operates 16 hours a day. But after hours, it’s a tempting location for people to congregate. “There was this one individual who kept getting into the building after hours and we couldn’t figure out how he was doing it,” tells Nick Evert.

Documenting officer interactions with public

Equipping its officers with Axis body worn cameras adds another layer to mall security. “It gives us a completely different perspective,” states Will Bernhjelm. “Before, we were just reviewing camera footage without audio. Now, with the body worn camera footage, we can actually hear what all the parties are saying. It gives us a real feel for what was going on in the scene.”

Bernhjelm tells of a mall tenant who claimed security officers hadn’t responded appropriately to an attempted break-in that had occurred months earlier. “Instead of tracking down each individual officer and asking them to recollect the steps they took months ago, I was able to look at the archived body worn camera footage and show the complainant exactly when the officers arrived on scene, the steps they took, and even show footage of the culprit getting arrested.”

Strengthening the partnership with Axis

Mall of America continues to explore new avenues that will improve security – from incorporating Axis analytics like loitering detection, object classification and people counting to deploying devices like Axis horn speakers, thermal cameras, and radar detectors. They’re even starting to train their explosives-detecting K-9 units to also detect firearms.

“Having the Axis Experience Center in our backyard has been really beneficial,” says Will Bernhjelm. “If we have an issue, they can help us brainstorm a better solution really quickly. Plus, the Experience Center is a convenient place to see and try out different products that might help us add another layer to our security operations.”

Close up of body worn camera on Mall of America security guard's chest

“To have that kind of accessibility for us and our end user is truly awesome,” exclaims Mark North.

This has been especially important with so many people recording incidents on their cellphones and posting to social media. “Having the full, unedited story at the click of a mouse has been very helpful for us,” says Nick Evert.

Camera in foreground with Mall of America parking lot in background

Strengthening the partnership with Axis

Mall of America’s relationship with Axis has always been strong. But once Axis opened an Axis Experience Center in the office tower on the property, the collaboration really started to deepen. MOA officials often meet Axis personnel face-to-face to troubleshoot problems and get a sneak peek at new technology. MOA, in turn, often serves as a test bed for some of Axis’ new products and solutions.