A national specialty retail organization engaged SRMC to conduct a comprehensive physical security assessment of a representative group of retail locations in the Midwest. The assessment encompassed multiple urban, suburban, and regional shopping environments, including enclosed malls, open-air centers, and street-front storefronts. The organization’s leadership sought an independent evaluation of existing security programming to ensure that current practices, technologies, and training adequately protected employees, customers, and facilities amid evolving retail security risks, including theft, workplace violence, and active aggressor concerns
The engagement was designed to provide enterprise wide insight by assessing a cross-section of store types and operating environments, allowing recommendations to be scalable and applicable across the broader retail portfolio.
Our Approach
SRMC conducted the multi-disciplinary security assessment by combining on-site physical surveys, document and policy reviews, interviews with store leadership and associates, and analysis of local crime data. Each assessed location was evaluated for perimeter conditions, access control practices, interior layouts, cash handling procedures, lock and key management, emergency egress, and the presence and effectiveness of security technologies. The assessment also examined preparedness for high-risk incidents such as robbery, organized retail theft, and active aggressor scenarios.
In parallel, SRMC reviewed existing enterprise policies, procedures, and training materials related to safety, loss prevention, and emergency response. This included evaluating onboarding practices, incident reporting, emergency situation plans, and coordination with mall security and local law enforcement. Crime trends surrounding each location were analyzed to contextualize risk exposure and validate whether existing security measures were proportionate to the surrounding threat environment.
SRMC approached the engagement as a systemwide review rather than a collection of isolated site assessments, with the objective of identifying consistent gaps, strengths, and opportunities for standardization across the organization.
Results
The assessment confirmed that the organization had a strong foundational commitment to employee and customer safety, supported by engaged store leadership and well written core policies. However, SRMC identified several recurring programmatic gaps that limited the effectiveness and consistency of security across locations. These included minimal deployment of security technology, lack of standardized video surveillance, inconsistent key control practices, and variation in cash transport methods. In addition, while associates received security awareness training during onboarding, there was limited in-service or refresher training to reinforce preparedness throughout the year.
SRMC developed practical, scalable recommendations focused on standardization and risk reduction. These included implementing enterprise wide video surveillance for forensic and deterrent purposes, upgrading door hardware and high-security keyways, standardizing cash transport processes, improving storage room and back-of-house security, and refining emergency response guidance to align with current best practices for evacuation and shelter-in-place. Recommendations also emphasized enhancing communication with mall security and law enforcement partners and introducing quick-reference emergency guidance for store associates.
Conclusion
Through this engagement, the organization gained a clear, independent understanding of its retail security posture and a prioritized roadmap for strengthening enterprise wide security programming. SRMC’s assessment balanced operational realities with best practices, ensuring recommendations were both achievable and aligned with the organization’s culture and customer-focused mission. The resulting guidance positioned the organization to enhance safety, improve consistency across locations, and proactively address emerging retail security risks. By using this assessment as a foundational planning tool, leadership is better equipped to make informed decisions about security investments, training, and policy enhancements that support both resilience and long-term operational success.
