The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office will implement the annual Robbery Prevention Mobilization in an effort to deter crime and assist shoppers in the parking lot of the Prien Lake Mall during the holiday shopping season, 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 parking lot of the mall, near the intersection of Prien Lake Road and Ernest Street.  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,” said Sheriff Tony Mancuso.  “We have been providing this service to the shoppers in our community over 15 years and we are very pleased to be able to continue to offer this 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 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.

Deputies will also be assisting shoppers and conducting checks in the Southgate Shopping Center on Ryan Street and the shopping areas on Derek Drive.