Major Holiday Sites Pressed for Crime, Terror Threats

Happy, safe holidays for the biggest tourist and shopping sites in the U.S. There are bomb sniffing dogs in Disney World and emergency lockdown drills at the Mall of America.

Just days ago, a German tourist was arrested on charges of making a bogus bomb threat while visiting Walt Disney World. A report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office says 37-year-old man was going through the security checkpoint at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom last Sunday when he told a Disney employee that he had two bombs in his back pack. The Disney employee questioned the man and he repeated the bomb threat. A sheriff’s deputy at the checkpoint had a bomb sniffing dog check the man’s bag. No explosive devices were found. The man claimed he was only joking about the devices. He was arrested.

At the Mall of America, a security team will be doing monthly lockdown drills to ensure they are ready if and when trouble strikes. They had their first drill last week, shortly after the mall opened. This exercise and approach to preparedness is one that that other shopping mall managers across the country will take notice of and consider adopting. The Mall of America security ensures the safety of more than 40 million visitors and more than 11,000 employees every year. The next round of drills will come after January 1 and then take place twice a month.