New National Crime Prevention Council Initiative Unveiled in Simon Property Group Malls Across America
ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Simon Property Group, Inc., the country's largest owner, developer and manager of high quality retail real estate, (NYSE: SPG) and the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), home of McGruff the Crime Dog®, announced today they have teamed up during Crime Prevention Month to unveil NCPC's new initiative called Circle of Respect in approximately 185 malls across the country.
The goal of the Circle of Respect initiative is to begin a national conversation on civility in the United States today. During the initial phase of the campaign, NCPC intends to shift public perception from a view that condones bullying and harassment as a rite of passage to one that considers bullying and harassment to be unacceptable behavior. Eventually the campaign will expand in scope to include vandalism, theft, dating violence, alcohol and other drug abuse, and other behavior in which issues of respect are paramount among young people and adults.
Noted authors such as Rosalind Wiseman (Queenbees and Wannabes), Rachel Simmons (Odd Girl Out), Dr. William Pollack (Real Boys' Voices), and many more will play a role in elevating this campaign to a national discussion.
As part of NCPC's ongoing partnership with Simon Property Group, Simon malls will post door clings at its entrances, tent cards at food court tables, and hand out information at Guest Services encouraging consumers to log on and take the Circle of Respect pledge at www.circleofrespect.org.
"The malls represent an important part of our community where people go to shop, dine, and be entertained in a safe, secure environment," said Ann M. Harkins, President and CEO, National Crime Prevention Council. "We are thrilled to combine with Simon Property Group to bring the important message of respect for each other and our community to malls across the country."
Simon Property Group began its promotion for the Circle of Respect initiative this summer by sharing Circle of Respect wristbands to thousands of teens during Simon dTOUR Live®. Simon dTOUR Live® is the cornerstone of Simon's teen platform, which integrates tailored brand sponsorships with exciting and interactive entertainment, events, and concerts.
"We're very excited about this opportunity to work with the National Crime Prevention Council," said Russ Tuttle, Simon's vice president of corporate security and emergency management. "They have been doing groundbreaking work for many years and our collaboration on Circle of Respect highlights how important we view safety at our properties. The Circle of Respect will be incorporated into all of Simon's core security program materials, including year-round mall safety tip signage across the country."
For more information about The Circle of Respect, or to schedule an interview, please contact Michelle Boykins at 202-261-4184 or Amy Vimislicky at 202-261-4156. For information on the National Crime Prevention Council, please visit www.ncpc.org.
About the National Crime Prevention Council
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is a private, nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to be the nation's leader in helping people keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime. NCPC manages public service advertising under the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign--symbolized by McGruff the Crime Dog® and his "Take A Bite Out Of Crime®" slogan--and acts as secretariat for the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, more than 400 national, federal, state, and local organizations representing thousands of constituents who are committed to preventing crime. NCPC is funded through a variety of government agencies, corporate and private foundations, and donations from private individuals. For more information on crime prevention issues, visit www.ncpc.org.
About Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an S&P 500 company and the largest public U.S. real estate company. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers®, The Mills®, community/lifestyle centers and international properties. It currently owns or has an interest in 387 properties comprising 262 million square feet of gross leasable area in North America, Europe and Asia. The Company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and employs more than 5,000 people worldwide. Simon Property Group, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol SPG. For further information, visit the Company's website at www.simon.com.
SOURCE Simon Property Group, Inc.
Michelle Boykins, NCPC, +1-202-261-4184, mboykins@ncpc.org; Les Morris, Simon Property Group, +1-317-263-7711, lmorris@simon.com