NCBRT's Shopping Center Security Terrorism Awareness Training Program Featured on The D&D Daily
October 25, 2016
Mall Security Training Focused on Terrorism
30,000+ Trained By Top Retail Counterterrorism Center at LSU
Throughout the year, there has been a string of violent activity and terror incidents
in retail locations across America, from stabbings in Minnesota to shootings in Texas
and Washington. As terrorists and other bad actors look for soft targets, they have set their sights
on malls and shopping centers.
Given the violent trend, it's vital that security personnel across the country are prepared and well-trained
to face this growing threat. One counter-terrorism program designed specifically for shopping center security
personnel hopes to do just that. 
The five-hour online course, called the Shopping Center Security Terrorism Awareness Program, is offered through the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training (NCBRT). The NCBRT is the primary security training arm of the Stephenson National Center for Security Research and Training (SNCSRT) at Louisiana State University - one of the top training centers in the country.
"During this course participants will examine weapons that may be used in a terror attack and will be
able to describe various attack tactics that may be used against a retail facility," the program description reads. "Participants will also be able to assess potentially suspicious behavior and will be able to conduct surveillance at
their facility."
According to NCBRT Director Jim Fernandez, the class has trained thousands of security
personnel annually since 2010, when the NCBRT teamed up with the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) to offer it as part of a training program they do for DHS and FEMA.
Overall, the SNCSRT has trained roughly 30,000 shopping center security personnel through its DHS-certified
program, according to a Sept. 19 report in WWD.
Fernandez says the level of interest in the retail counter-terrorism course often
fluctuates depending on current events, but interest is increasing as the year winds
down and concerns about terrorism remain high.
"The numbers vary to how many we train every year depending on what's happening in
the world. It usually averages around a few thousand," Fernandez said. "So far in
2016 we are at about 1,600, but the numbers are picking up."
Fernandez urges anyone working in store security to participate in the training, particularly
since terrorism has been steadily creeping into the retail arena.
"It's an excellent program and very relevant to the problems we face today," he said.
Click here for more information about the free training course.