Hyattsville's crime rate is lower this year partly because of fewer incidents at the Mall at Prince George's, according to Douglas Holland, chief of police. He told Patch that the shopping center has been a particularly active—and successful—front for the Hyattsville Police Department, which has worked closely with mall security to minimize theft and other crimes throughout mall stores.

"We all agreed that we would take a strict approach to filing charges for shoplifting incidents in hopes that we would send a message of deterrence to those that choose to participate in this type of activity," said Holland.

Sgt. Chris Purvis, police department spokesman, said that city police officers regularly patrol mall grounds. If they or mall security arrest an individual for trespassing or criminal activity on mall grounds, police officers will bar him or her from the property.

"If the individual shows back up on property, and we get a call from security, they call and say 'This guy was busted for stealing last week,' we'll come up and  make an arrest," said Purvis.

According to Purvis, the police department considers the mall to be one of its "high-demand" areas due to the high volume of shoppers and merchants—i.e., potential targets of crime.

Purvis gave an example of his department's collaboration with mall security. A young male entered the Mall at Prince George's earlier this year with a handgun hidden in his belt. When mall security glimpsed the weapon on a camera screen, they called the police.

Police officers cornered the suspect in a department clothing store. Although he had no weapon on him, the officers quickly spotted it hiding under a nearby rack of clothes. 

"If it wasn't for the security watching him and having a direct partnership with us, that wouldn't have happened. It pays off having a partnership with them," Purvis said.

That incident is also a tribute to the mall's security camera crew, said Henry Watford, general manager for the Mall at Prince George's. He told Patch that CCTV security cameras monitor the mall grounds at all times, in conjunction with mall security foot patrols and bike patrols.  

"That incident is a credit to our dispatcher. The dispatcher wasn't just sitting back and waiting for something to happen. He was looking for potential threats to our shopping center. And as a result he was able to contact police, and they were able to make an apprehension," Watford said.

Watford also reserved praise for the police department, however, for advising him and his staff on how to prevent crimes. Mall management meets with Holland and other police officials every one-two months to discuss potential issues in and around Hyattsville.

In addition, the mall holds monthly mall safety-training sessions for mall merchants and security personnel. City police officers often lead the session presentations.

Watford added that crime prevention is an especially timely issue given the economic situation. When unemployment rises, business owners in any community need to watch for more criminal activity.  

"We foresaw the potential of an increase in crime and we put mechanisms in place," he said. "We share information with the police. They share information with us. We came armed—no pun intended—to address issues in 2010."