Security Guards
Drive Through
Patrol
We frequently get
asked for drive-through security patrol service for a commercial
property. My first question is always, "What do you want to
accomplish with the security patrol service?"
PURPOSE
Drive-through
security patrols serve a limited but useful purpose. By definition,
the drive-through patrol service does not remain on-site and
generally uses a vehicle to make the rounds. This type of patrol is
less expensive then an on-site security guard because of the limited
time spent on the property. Highly visible, drive-through security
services are ideal for the patrol of commercial properties after
business hours or on properties not open to the public. One purpose
of this type of patrol is to observe
(or test) all accessible gates, doors, and windows and make sure
they are secured, and to report the
conditions found on the property to the business owner or the
police. Another purpose is to make sure no unauthorized persons are
trespassing on private property. Some drive-through security
services may also respond to alarm signals but this requires a more
specialized guard force. The primary goal of a drive-through
security patrol service is to deter property loss and vandalism
after business hours because of their random presence. This
presence is normally supported by signage that states the property
will be patrolled by "ABC Security Service."
Drive-through
security patrols are not good at catching criminals in the
act. By design, drive-through security patrols should be highly
visible and therefore should be incapable is sneaking up on a
perpetrator. The best patrol vehicles are
high profile, and distinctive in appearance. The most visible
security vehicles are well marked and equipped with high-powered
spotlights. This high visibility maximizes the deterrent effect as
long as the security officer is patrolling competently and according
to post orders.
Random
drive-through security patrols are less effective on commercial
properties while open to the public. This is because the
drive-through security officer probably has 6-10 other commercial
accounts to patrol each hour. Random and infrequent patrol does not
allow the security officer enough time to observe loiterers or
differentiate between the customers, the residents, and the
criminals. Many drive-through patrols consist of only a high-speed
pass and offer little in the way of observation or scrutiny of
suspicious activity. Because of the nature of the drive-through
patrol, customer contacts are infrequent
and suspicious groups are not likely to be confronted.
Drive-through is better than not doing anything, but understand the
limitations of infrequent and non-confrontation security services.
Due to fear from prior litigation claims, signs supporting the
random drive-through security patrol are not always used on retail
and rental housing settings for fear of misrepresenting to a
consumer that security guards are always on-site.
POST ORDERS
Any contract
security services must have clearly defined and articulated "post
orders". Post orders are written instructions for how the security
officer is to patrol a site and should be incorporated as part of
the contract. These written instructions need to be detailed and
reflect the expectations of the
property manager and the responsibility
of the security patrol service. Post orders are necessary for
drive-through accounts because the same security officer will not
always patrol the site and each property will have specific
requirements. Written post orders allow for consistency in patrol
and reporting and set forth the obligations for fulfilling the
service contract. Post instructions should specify if drive-through
security officers are to get out of their vehicle to "shake" doors
or walk behind buildings. If you don't require it...it won't
occur. Well-written post order acts like a checklist for the
security officer while on-site and helps them fill out their daily
activity reports and logs.
REPORTING
It is the custom
and practice of all contract security patrol industry to complete
daily activity reports (DARs) and incident reports for each site
they patrol. Despite this practice, it is important to require
written DAR and incident reports as part of the contract for
service. This is usually one of the items specified in the post
orders. As a rule of thumb, if you don’t receive a written report,
assume the patrol did not occur and don’t
pay for the service until you receive one. This practice will
ensure that reports are written and submitted in a timely manner.
Detailed daily
activity and incident reports are crucial to a property owner. It is
a form of supervision and holds the security service
accountable for patrolling the
property as agreed. In addition to communicating what was observed
in the parking lot, the reports provide important documentation in
case of a lawsuit alleging inadequate security.
Daily activity
reports are designed to report routine things like when and where
the security officer was on your property and what they observed.
DARs should be detailed and
informative. Each entry should list the date, time, location, and
activity. Don’t accept activity logs that merely state, "10:00 PM or
11:00 PM – All Quiet". A proper daily activity report of an
apartment property might state, "9/29/99 -10:06 PM – Completed
patrol of the south parking lot, one light burned out over parking
space #256 or "9/29/99 - 10:14 PM – Checked the mail room, pool
gate, laundry room, and restroom door locks. All were secure." These
reports notify the landlord to repair burned out lights or to
resolve hazardous conditions. Daily activity reports should document
the patrol of all roadways on a property even if no unusual activity
is observed.
Incident reports
are only written when something unusual
happens that requires a more detailed account. Incident reports are
not limited to crime. Incident reports should notify the client of
an unlocked door, a large group loitering, a flooded parking lot,
safety hazards, and of course all crimes or property damage. All
contacts with persons on a client’s property should be reported as
well. Incident reports should be more detailed than DARs because
they chronicle one specific event. Incident reports that say "see
police report" are not acceptable. Incident reports should
note everything the security officer observed, what they did, and
what they were doing at the time of the incident. They must contain
the basics of reporting like who, what, where, when, why, and how.
SUPERVISION
One inherent flaw
in contracting for drive-through security patrol service is
supervision of the officers. Unless someone is checking, the
drive-through patrol may not occur or the service may be
insufficient. A common problem for some security patrol services is
that they overbook, and assign too
many accounts to their officers. It is impossible for patrol
officers to properly inspect a site if they must make a high-speed
pass to keep on schedule. It is important at the beginning of the
contract to establish the quality and timing of the patrols and then
follow up if you suspect that the service is inadequate.
Worse yet, is
when officers falsify reports
indicating that they patrolled when they had not. To avoid these
problems, security patrol officers need to know that they are being
supervised in some manner. This can be accomplished by a patrol
supervisor but will usually involve additional costs. Other methods
are to incorporate a mechanical or electrical check in device.
Common systems include logging in on strategically placed watchman
clocks, dropping patrol slips through the mail slot (hopefully in
view of a video camera) or punching in on a time clock. On occupied
commercial properties, the guard service should check in or sign off
on a log in presence of a site employee.
SELECTING A PATROL SERVICE
Finding a quality
patrol service can be a challenge. It is easier in a smaller market
because a company's good reputation
is important to its survival. In large metropolitan areas, a poor
patrol service can survive longer and get away with substandard
service. This is because there is so much work that lost accounts
have little immediate impact on their ability to stay in the
marketplace. The other problem is the labor pool. In big cities, all
security agencies draw from the same labor source. A poor quality
officer can drift from agency to agency for years and end up
patrolling your property.
The best way to
locate a quality security patrol service is to get a
referral from a satisfied customer.
It is always best to get multiple proposals and don't
consider price alone as the deciding factor. Ask for references and
check them. Ask to see licenses, insurance papers, and samples of
reports that will be used on your property. Check with the
licensing board to see if any complaints have been filed against the
company or if their patrol license is valid. Ask to see a copy of
the contract and study it or have your attorney review it. It is
usually not a good idea to sign the security company contract
if it contains language that attempts to limit their liability or
shift insurance responsibility to you.
Make sure that
you are involved in drafting the detailed
post orders and make sure that they are dated, signed, and
incorporated into the contract. If the post orders need to be
modified, do it in writing. finally, actively supervise the guard
service and make sure you receive and read the reports.
RECORD RETENTION
Security officer
reports should be maintained for a period of
two years. These reports are
important for evaluating your security needs, identifying historical
problems on site, and for insurance purposes. These reports are
critical in defending premises liability lawsuits since they are
proof of providing adequate security. Even reports showing no
activity should be stored to show that the property have been
reasonably safe. Records can be purged after this period except for
reports containing important events.
I hope you found these ideas helpful |
