More than 4.2 million people live in what is known as the Inland Empire—the fast-growing San Bernardino County and Riverside County portion of Southern California east of Los Angeles—and every day, tens of thousands of those residents are shopping, working and enjoying a variety of entertainment venues at Victoria Gardens.
Located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Victoria Gardens is an open-air town center at the heart of a 160-acre planned “main street” community that attracts more than 16 million visitors each year.
“Victoria Gardens was created as a ‘city within a city,’ and it’s a destination where many people come for the entire day,” says Christine Pham, Victoria Gardens’ General Manager. “We offer a safe, family-friendly atmosphere with all kinds of things to do.”
In addition to major department stores and more than 170 specialty stores, the complex features 26 sit-down restaurants, a 12-screen movie theatre, a Cultural Arts Center and a public library. Regularly scheduled events in the town square include movies in the park, concerts on the green, and of course, many exciting holiday activities.
“When we ask customers to rate what is important to them here, safety always tops the list,” says Pham. “Our partnership with Securitas USA helps us maintain a secure, yet welcoming environment.”
Securitas USA provides an around-the-clock security presence at Victoria Gardens with a combination of foot, bicycle and mobile patrols. A recently added T3 Motion electric vehicle also is used by officers to quickly respond to incidents throughout the complex.
“We coordinate closely with the Rancho Cucamonga Sheriffs’ Department, which has a station next to our security office,” says Scott Wicker, Securitas USA account manager. CCTV cameras positioned throughout the complex enable Securitas USA control room officers to continuously monitor and record activity in parking lots and all public areas.
“The officers here have security responsibilities, but also serve as ambassadors to the general public,” says Neo Navarro, Victoria Gardens’ Director of Security. “They are our first line communication with guests, and that’s an important role.”
Close Working Relationship
“The professionalism and responsiveness of the Securitas USA officers here have earned a high level of respect from the Sheriffs’ Department and our tenants,” says Pham. “We know that a call to Security means that someone will be at the scene, usually within a couple of minutes.”
Pham frequently communicates with all of Victoria Gardens’ contractors and vendors to address issues and plan for upcoming activities, which range from parades and car shows to major civic events. “Our goal is to be proactive, as well as reactive,” Pham adds, “and to do that, we all work together to keep Victoria Gardens a uniquely enjoyable place to be.”