LANSING — On Thursday, State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) introduced a bill that yields additional authority to security guards who have gone through supplementary licensing and training at Fairlane Town Center in an effort to back local police.

Hammoud told The AANews that the Dearborn mall would meet the requirement to have a holding cell with the approval of City Council, but it needs to have more than 10 million visitors a year.

According to a press release, the House Bill 4347 revises the Private Security Business and Security Alarm Act. It is a reintroduction of legislation from last term, but with a plan to allow a municipality to opt out of giving security guards the power to arrest and another to require public notice in the form of a posted sign at entrances.

“The safety of residents and visitors is very important, and is vital to any successful community,” Hammoud said in the release. “Fairlane is a large mall that provides several great opportunities and resources for the community. However, a facility as large as this requires additional security. I am proud to have coordinated with Police Chief Ronald Haddad on the introduction of this legislation, which we believe will help improve safety.”

The bill also arranges for coordination with the Dearborn Police Department and the security company to make sure detainees are held securely at the mall as they wait for police to pick them up.

The Dearborn Police Department assisted in drafting the bill.

“I am grateful for the efforts by our legislators to adopt this bill that will greatly enhance public safety within the private sector,” Haddad said. “These partners have proven to be invaluable and will be a benefit for citizen and officer safety alike.”