What Are Mobile Patrols? And, What Do They Do?

Mobile patrol units are a flexible alternative to a static security presence. Their personnel are trained security officers who travel between sites to carry out surveillance at certain times during the day and night.

You can schedule which times you want them to attend, or the visits could be made randomly to stop criminals from detecting a regular pattern.

What are the advantages of mobile patrols?

The advantages boil down to 4 key elements — cost, flexibility, versatility and efficiency.

• Cost — Mobile patrols are less expensive than employing static guards, especially if you have multiple properties spread over a large area.
• Flexibility — The number of officers, and the times they attend, are tailored according to what you need.
• Versatility — Mobile patrols spot and document everything, from suspicious activity to broken windows.
• Efficiency — They provide a visible deterrent and a rapidly available trained response to criminal activity.

What do mobile security officers do?

Mobile security officers are an extra set of eyes on your premises. They watch out for threats, provide proactive safeguards against risk and deliver an agile response to any security breach.

Here’s a rundown of the type of duties they perform:

Proactive vigilance

Mobile patrols are a preventative security measure. Their presence on the scene is a powerful message to potential criminals that your premises are under surveillance by trained professionals.

They patrol both inside and outside a property, often at unpredictable times to make it more difficult for criminals to plan an attack.

Security inspections

It’s part of a mobile patrol officer’s role to carry out security inspections. They make sure alarms and cameras are fully functional. They also check doors and windows, gates, fences and access points as well as blind spot areas — places which aren’t visible to cameras.

If there are issues, the security officer will document them and report back. They are trained to spot potential hazards, so you’ll be alerted in good time — before a minor problem leads to a serious security breach.

Full reporting

Some issues, like an open window, can be dealt with immediately. If an officer spots a more serious problem — whether a maintenance issue or signs of suspicious activity — they’ll record the details, take photos and submit an incident report.

Keeping a well-documented record of incidents has advantages, including financial benefits. It’s proactive risk management and over time, this can mean lower insurance premiums.

Incident reports also allow you to identify recurring patterns. You can use the data to focus resources on areas which present the highest risk.

Keyholding and alarm response

Keyholding and response is an important element of a mobile patrol unit’s duties. The service not only saves you time and effort, it also prevents unnecessary risk.

Officers can take on the task of opening and locking the property — and, if an alarm is triggered out of hours, they’ll attend on your behalf to deal with the cause. Whether it’s a false alarm or a genuine threat, they are trained to take the appropriate action.

Outsourcing this task to trained security personnel is considerably safer than leaving it to an untrained member of staff. Attending a building late at night is potentially dangerous, particularly when a trespasser may have gained access.

Rapid intervention

Officers are trained to handle emergencies safely. When faced with threatening behaviour, they’ll use their expertise to de-escalate and manage the situation, coordinating with law enforcement and other emergency services whenever necessary.

When it comes to the financial consequences of crime, this rapid intervention is valuable. It can prevent a minor incident escalating into something which causes serious damage to your property.

Security for multiple sites

Because mobile patrol units can cover a wider area than static security officers, this makes them ideal for businesses with multiple sites.

Patrols can quickly and easily move between different areas, going directly to the scene of an incident to investigate and provide the appropriate response.

Because the officers are mobile, they can often spot signs of planned criminal activity which may not be visible to a static security guard — a vehicle parked unusually, or someone acting suspiciously just outside the boundary perimeter, for example.

If you’d like to discuss the most cost-effective mobile patrol options for your premises, get in touch with the CSG team. We’d be happy to hear from you.