Security Patrol duties everybody Should Know

Last Updated on May 27, 2020 by Ranga

Conducting security patrol is one of the primary duties of the security personnel. There is the various aim of the patrol depending on the site.

What Is period Security Patrol All about?

The security officers travel on predefined paths or routes for enhancing the safety and security of the site is a periodic patrol.

Aim and methods of the patrol 

The AIM of the patrol can be slightly different depending on the sites, however, here are the foundation goals of the patrol, the purpose of which the security guards carry out it on their duty.

Aim of the patrol (4Ps)

1. Protect of life (From danger hazardous materials/situation, assault, and emergency).
2. protection of properties and premises (from theft, fire, criminal damage, or defacement)
3. prevention of loss and waste ( From theft, breaching of confidentiality)
4. preventing and detecting crime. (Theft, breach of peace, criminal damage, public order offenses)

Others AIM of the patrol 

• Increased situational awareness
• Providing a covert physical security presence
• Reducing response time to critical areas
• Inspecting the status of security measures
• Deterring criminal activity
• Increasing alertness of Security staff
• Providing customer service

Methods of the Security Patrol 

Security guards conduct a variety of patrols and each of them has advantages and disadvantages, as follows:

1. Walking patrol: It is the most common uses method of the patrol utilized in many organizations where the security officers travel on their feet.
   • Benefits
     • Enhanced situational awareness
     • Can utilize human senses
     • Ability to inspect closer detail
     • Interaction with staff, and members of the public
   • Weakness 
     • The time required to cover larger areas
     • Physically exhausting
     • Environmental exposure
2. Vehicles Patrol: This patrol takes many forms such as Car, Golf Buggy, Cycle and Segway, etc.
   • Benefits
     • Ability to patrol a large area or perimeter
     • Can be fitted with supporting technologies such as:
       • Radio
       • GPS tracker
       • High powered lighting
     • Environmental protection during the patrol
   • Weakness;
     • More visible than foot patrol criminal can approach security staff
     • Removes the ability to use some of the human senses
     • expensive to maintain and operate
3. Remote patrol: The video surveillance technology can be used for monitoring the area including
   1. • CCTV
      • Drone

Site plan and patrol routes

It is very critical for each security guard to know about their site layout, because, without it, you may not complete your duty effectively.

The site plan and patrol routes are designed by the security supervisor and manager which includes a critical system, key location, and security measures.

The new workers will refer to the patrol map when you have it verify the following things;

1. Version: Always be the latest version, not the old map
2. Legend: The critical system, security measure, and key location should have symbolized as well as easy to understand.
3. Scale: Must have identified the size of the area need to patrol
4. Orientation: The site plan should easy to understand.
5. Perimeter: Marked the boundaries of the site.
6. Zone: Should have divided into a different- different zone and alert levels.

Crime prevention strategies

Site protection policies can provide specific crime prevention and deterrent techniques. All the security guards should know and make sure these strategies support your site. Crime prevention strategies should include the following;

• Increasing the risk for criminals
  • • Chance of detection
    • Exposure to public
    • Enforcement of laws
• Reducing reward for criminals
  • • E.g. Compartmentalizing valuables
• Increasing difficulty in committing the crime
  • • Deny access
    • Security depth e.g. 4 D‟s
• Reducing temptation for criminal activity
  • • Removing valuable items from view
    • Constant vigilance of security
    • Warning signs

Routes and timings of the security patrol 

A well-designed site plan will identify the routes and timing for the patrol and the security guards must comply that.

Security site patrol plan 

When you are preparing the site plan make sure the following things have included;

1. Site layout
   • • How to achieve 100% inspection in the site
     • Which are the most effective routes to the security zones?
     • How to divide the site into the access zones
     • what control put in place to split the site into a security zone
     • Evaluation threat and risk of the area
2.  Critical security zones
   • • What are the most important is to be secure
     • What could be the rapid response plan for the critical zone in case of an incident?
3. Supporting technologies 
   • • Which are the CCTV and Sensor coverage areas
     • What access panel and alarm have installed
4. Personnel available
   • • Numbers of staff available for patrol
     • Organizational policies
5. Shift rotations
   • • Time of the shift rotation
     • Reduction in personnel for night shifts
6. Business timings
   • •  The time of the company open for the public
     • Time of the delivery, maintenance, and other activities occurs

Conclusion: There are 4 basic aim of the security patrol and three methods of conducting. As a security guard, you should know the site layout to conduct the patrol effectively. If the patrol map does not fit for the site then suggest to the supervisor or manager.

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