On March 20-21, the International Council of Shopping Centers and National Center for Security Research and Training will host the Shopping Center Security Leadership Summit in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There, Catalyst Principal Dr. David McWhorter will speak about using the DHS SAFETY Act for liability protection, market differentiation, and insurance premium reduction. McWhorter will present an overview of the Department of Homeland Security’s Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act (the SAFETY Act) of 2002 and discuss its many relevancies to the shopping center security community. The specific areas of significance are the Act’s unique ability to limit the liability of mall ownership and/or mall security services (humans and technology); the Act’s role in market differentiation for security companies and the malls that represent some of the country’s critical infrastructure; and the possibility that insurance underwriters will favorably consider SAFETY Act coverage when determining insurance premiums.

The presentation will include a discussion of relevant companies that have already received SAFETY Act coverage, including ICSC for its Terrorist Awareness Training, and how these coverages can be leveraged by uncovered companies seeking to attain SAFETY Act protection.