“Are vehicle patrol services effective or not?” Businesses experiencing thefts and issues with trespassing, etc. would love to know the answer to this, which solely depends on the level of criminal activity currently taking place on the premises.
Chances are a patrol service isn’t a favorable selection if you answered yes to any of the above.
Vehicle patrol services are pretty much a hit or miss service because the guard drives through your property at random intervals, and is generally not on your property when the crime is in progress or long enough to provide any lasting criminal deterrence to the area.
Many security companies sell this service as a “Peace of mind service” or a “door check service” to their clients, but these clients have to factor their attractive low cost versus real results, visibility, reduction in crime, and overall presence.
Businesses experiencing thefts, threats, and ongoing criminal activity, to include low level issues such as trespassing, etc., will never get the results they seek out of a random vehicle patrol service and often become frustrated. This is mainly due to security providers “overselling and over-promising” the capabilities or limitations of a vehicle patrol service.
A vehicle patrol service is never meant to take the place of a posted guard which provides maximum protection for the property, but all too often clients requiring a posted guard service, hire a patrol service instead due to budget, and expect the same level of protection – which simply won’t occur.
In most cases, criminals monitor a property before going in for the steal. They check to see if it will be an easy job; if they’ll be able to grab and go without being caught; and if anyone such as security is on the premises to catch them in the act; if so, they’ll check the guard’s patrol patterns to track an exact time to move forward.
Even though all vehicle patrol companies patrol in a random manner, it does not take a rocket scientist to know once you see the patrol car leave the property, chances are the guard won’t be back for at least an hour… which gives criminals quite a bit of time to strike.
Random vehicle patrol checks leave large gaps in protection which criminals see and take advantage of!
Keep in mind: the last thing criminals want to do is get caught in the act! They try their best to avoid being apprehended, so more than likely they will move on to the next property that doesn’t have a guard who can identify or arrest them.
If you utilize a vehicle patrol service that conducts two to four sporadic checks per night at intervals that last less than ten minutes per check on your property, clients must be aware that this is very little to no protection at all.
Countless businesses have reported the same level of break-ins or issues while they were contracted with a security patrol service due to the aforementioned gaps in protection and presence on the property.
The whole idea to deter crime away is security presence; that said, driving through 2-4 times a night at ten minutes each time is not too much presence, and results will be minimal.
Note: with lower or incorrect pricing for a patrol service, most guard companies cut corners and may skip some of the checks clients have contracted for, to include the amount of time spent at their location.
Be sure to ask for not only proof of the guard being on the property but also proof of the time spent on the property.
Many companies’ selling point is that they have GPS tracked cars to prove they were on your property; this does not prove the guard got out of the vehicle, made foot patrols and checks, or interacted with anyone.
Some guard companies use cameras or take pictures as proof their officers were on the premises; this does not show everything they checked, all interactions, patrol methods, investigative techniques, and customer service. Often times, it’s simply a snap shot of the pool or the main office, then back to the patrol vehicle, and off to the next property.
Again this type of service is not meant to stop any crime, it is mostly used to provide the illusion of security, as nothing beats a posted guard on your property that does not leave the grounds.
Mobile security patrol services are not efficacious if your property is experiencing an increase in criminal activity or has a substantial amount of criminal activity occurring, such as break-ins, loitering, robberies, burglaries, and so forth; which at this point, patrol services are a complete waste of time and money; a standing guard service is highly recommended – period!
However, if you’re not experiencing medium to high level criminal activity and require some vehicle patrol officer appeal to your establishment, these services are perfect. You will make onlookers think twice about crossing lines and you will give your visitors that extra touch of security they so rightfully deserve.
Make sure you check into the company you are considering. Be sure to ask if their guards are drug tested, undergo some form of background and mental evaluation checks; also ask about the guards’ level of training… the last thing you need is a guard who lacks training on your property.
For more information about mobile patrol services, contact SRS.
Posted in BUSINESS SECURITY, SECURITY GUARDS Tagged with: Austin Security Services, mobile security, Patrol services Austin, Security Patrol services