BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Like Rodney Dangerfield, mall security officers just can't seem to get any respect these days. One of the summer's biggest hit comedies, "Paul Blart: Mall Cop", poked fun at the profession. Now, a new reality tv show on the TLC network hopes to scratch stereotypes about mall security officers.
"People think mall cops and they're like, 'ugh'," says Mall of America Security officer Kyle Meiterjean. "But, we have a unique force here. At any given time, we're patrolling the third largest city in the state, based on population."
"Mall Cops: Mall of America" premiers this week on TLC. The show follows the daily routines of dozens of officers on the MOA's security force, following them as they respond to calls, provide security for celebrities and deal with the daily work of mall security. The show was show over a three week period this summer, and officers say the cameras were never far behind as they performed their jobs.
"They were always there, even when you didn't want them to be," adds Meiterjean, who is featured prominently in the premier episode. "They'd be there when we'd walk in the doors, when we got dressed at our lockers, when we were walking the mall. It's strange having a camera in your hip pocket for that long."
The series premiers Thursday night at 9pm on TLC, and is scheduled to run through December.
(Copyright 2009 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)
