Stanford security supervisor disciplined for distributing flyer with racial overtones

[Blue_Tires]

The Stanford Shopping Center's security company has disciplined an employee for distributing a handwritten flier that some mall workers said they felt contained clear racial overtones, a company official confirmed this week.

On Jan. 28, Andrews International employees handed out fliers to businesses at the mall following reports of several suspicious incidents involving two men, said Dan Hoffman, the senior vice president for human resources and legal affairs at the Los Angeles-based company.

"The two African American males seen in the photograph are known for their suspicious activity," said the flier, which featured a blurry security camera image of the two men. "They have asked for the most expensive items at one of our fine jewelers in the shopping center."

The employee who made the fliers is a security supervisor at the mall, Hoffman said. He decided on his own to distribute them after several high-end stores reported that two men came in asking questions about how many employees were working and where the security cameras were located. The fliers didn't say the pictured men had stolen anything, but implied they were casing stores.

The employee violated company procedures by not consulting with management about the flier, Hoffman said.

"A young person trying to do the right thing violated some procedures," Hoffman said. "He has received documented training on the policies. I asked the whole entire team there to get training on the ... policy. There was some disciplinary action."

http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_14371118?nclick_check=1