By Zoe Adams
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The White Marsh Mall announced Thursday that it has implemented a curfew for teenagers that will go into effect on Friday.
The Parental Guidance Requirement (PGR) says that all guests under the age of 18 must be supervised by an adult over 21 after 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, a mall representative said. The supervision requirement covers the entire shopping center, including the parking lots and sidewalks.
When PGR hours go into effect, public safety officers will check IDs for those who look like they are under 18, a mall spokesperson said. If a visitor is over 18, she said, they can wear a wristband indicating that they are excluded from needing supervision.
Lindsay Khan, senior manager of public relations for Brookfield Properties, said those who cannot provide a valid ID will be asked to leave or have supervision.
The announcement follows THE AVENUE at White Marsh’s reminder about its Youth Escort policy last month, as the area has had several crimes involving teenagers in the past. Last August, seven teenagers and two adults were arrested after an incident broke out at White Marsh Mall.
THE AVENUE at White Marsh and White Marsh Mall aren’t the only shopping centers in the area to have youth policies. Towson Town Center and Hunt Valley Towne Centre have policies regulating teen activity at their shopping establishments.
The policies are becoming popular in Baltimore County. While there are no statistics about the policies nationwide, the International Council of Shopping Centers says that safety and security plans are made to benefit visitors.
“Whereas ICSC does not have any statistics on specific policies at specific malls, we can say that mall owners and operators work closely with local law enforcement to ensure that proper security and safety plans are in place to most benefit their visitors,” said Stephanie Ciesielski, vice president of International Council of Shopping Centers.“These plans vary by mall, depending on the needs of the community.” said.
The Baltimore County Council has urged White Marsh Mall to implement a policy like this for months, even passing a non-binding resolution unanimously in November 2018. The mall had initially resisted to create a curfew and supervision policy, but relented after working with local police and government officials, a mall representative said.
“After much evaluation and discussion with our partners at the Baltimore County Police Department and the county executive, we determined the necessary next step for our security protocol will be to implement a formal curfew program,” said Mary Williams, the general manager of White Marsh. “We’ve continuously explored and implemented new security measures while also listening to the concerns from our community.”
Williams added: “All are welcome at White Marsh Mall at any time. We simply require that during certain weekend hours, families shop together and guests under 18 are accompanied by an adult. The PGR program will enhance the shopping experience in ways the entire community will appreciate.”
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski supports the decision made by the mall to implement the policy.
“The county executive has supported an evening Parental Guidance Requirement, or PGR, which is different from a blanket curfew,” said T.J. Smith, a spokesman for Olszewski. “He believes that children should be accompanied by a responsible adult. This policy is similar to other policies that are already in place and have proved effective.”