WAUWATOSA - Mayfair Mall plans on taking a dramatic step to cut down on violence by requiring people to show a photo ID at the door.

The program will be implemented in April and will likely be enforced on Friday and Saturday nights.

TODAY'S TMJ4 has learned most people under 30 will be carded. Those over the "required" age will be given a wrist band and allowed inside the mall. Mayfair has not decided what the "required" age will be.

People who do not meet the "required" age will have to be with an adult who is 21 or older.

So if the required age is 18, a 19-year-old would be allowed inside the mall. But the 19-year-old would not be able to bring in a 16-year-old friend. The 16-year-old would need to be accompanied by someone 21 or older.

The rules also require anyone underage to stay with the adult the entire time. Mayfair plans on posting security guards at every entrance. Shoppers at Macy's or Boston Store will not have to show an ID to enter, but will need to show an ID once leaving the department store and entering the main mall.

Mayfair told TODAY'S TMJ4 this plan isn't expected to solve all the problems, but hopefully it will eliminate some of them.

About 40 other malls across the country have a similar policy.

Teens we talked to give the plan a failing grade.

"I think it inhibits social activity," John Rineck said.

Seventeen-year-old Nick Price agreed, saying: "I think they probably won't have any business."

"If there are certain places downtown, like dance clubs, that I can go to without my parents, then why would I go to the mall with my parents?" Kristina Guajardo questioned: "So I probably won't shop there."

A law enforcement safety strategy to address recent problems was also announced Tuesday morning.

In February alone, cops had to pepper spray and then Taser an out-of-control teenage boy outside of the movie theater. Then a week later, two men caused a disturbance at the mall, and one of them reportedly had a gun in his belt.

This plan was to review those recent incidents and try and figure out if the same people are involved, and then prosecute them if needed.

Mall officials said they will work closely with Milwaukee and Wauwatosa police, and even the Milwaukee gang unit. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said the idea is to restore peace and safety at the mall.

"This is the type of information we intend to share on a regular basis so that we can identify this small core group of violent offenders and remove them before they commit violent crimes," Chisholm said.

The new policy will identify people who are causing problems in other areas of Milwaukee County, including known gang members. If police in those cities identify known gang members, they will alert security at Mayfair. If they commit a crime at Mayfair, the district attorney will review the case and prosecute it criminally. Previously, many of the suspects faced only municipal fines instead of criminal charges.

"The bottom line is that we want to address some of these issues and do it proactively, take the lead on some of these issues so that they don't spin out of control," Chisholm said.

Shoppers Tuesday night were pleased to hear about the get tough approach, but many were shaken by the mention of gangs at the mall. Nicole Peterson said she's felt uncomfortable with violence at Mayfair for a few years.

"I didn't even know it was that deep like that, but it is, it's ridiculous," she said.

Mall worker Aaron Hahner told TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Lauren Leamanczyk that he'd seen and heard gang activity at the mall.

"They walk around the halls," he said. "They look at each other, they scope each other out. Sometimes, they'll be looking for a fight and sometimes they'll be looking to hook up a deal."

Other shoppers say they're not worried at all. Susan Trask said she doesn't like to see violence or gang activity anywhere, but she and her kids always feel safe at Mayfair and will continue to shop there.