The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office implemented the Annual Robbery Prevention Mobilization (RPM) in an effort to deter crime and assist shoppers in the parking lot at the Prien Lake Mall during the holiday season, which began Friday, November 23 and will continue through December 26, seven days a week from noon until one hour past mall closing.
The deputies will be on marked ATV's and patrol cars in the parking lot, as well as manning the CPSO Mobile Command Center located in the front parking lot of the mall on Prien Lake Road. Deputies, who will be wearing orange Sheriff’s Office traffic vests during the evening hours, will be available to assist shoppers with such things as helping them find their car, jump starting their car if the battery is dead, changing a flat, assisting employees and shoppers by walking them to their car after dark, or any other assistance they can provide.
“The CPSO Robbery Prevention Mobilization has always been instrumental in, not only assisting shoppers with their problems and concerns, but keeping crime to a minimum at a time of year when it is usually on the rise,” says Sheriff Tony Mancuso. “We are very pleased to be able to offer this service to the public.”
CPSO deputies are working this special detail to provide assistance to the public during the busy holiday season. They are not hired by the mall or nor will they be doing security for the mall. However, the presence of law enforcement on the premises is expected to deter crime in the parking lot. This is the thirteenth year the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office has provided this service to the shoppers in the parking lot at the mall.
Deputies will also be conducting regular visits to all convenience stores in the parish during the holiday season to check with store clerks to see if they are experiencing any problems or if they have any special needs. Also, deputies will be conducting these same checks with store clerks at businesses in the Southgate Shopping Center on Ryan Street, the Power Center on Highway 14, and the Target Shopping Center on Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles.