Private security patrol officers perform a range of functions that, together, are designed to accomplish the goal of keeping your property and everyone on it safe and secure. But what, exactly, should you expect when hiring a professional security firm to protect your property or event? Here are some of the basic security responsibilities that your patrol officers should handle for you.
Securing an Area
A patrol officer’s primary responsibility is to secure the area that you want protected. Sometimes this can be handled by manning a single point of entry and egress. But usually, patrol officers are responsible for providing security over a wider area, to observe and monitor activities on the whole premises. With keen attention to detail and thorough training, patrol officers can also handle crowd control operations, prevent or de-escalate disputes, identify and address security vulnerabilities, and much more.
Reporting Accurately and Thoroughly
Providing security to the place they’re assigned to is only part of what patrol officers do. Once they have performed their observation and protection duties, the next step is to provide an accurate report of any situations they encountered that impact the overall security profile of the premises. Not only does this keep you informed of the situation on the premises, but these reports may also serve as important records if the details of any incident that occurred on your property need to be followed up on for legal or other reasons.
Testing Security Systems
When patrol officers are trained, one area that must be addressed is the various types of systems that are utilized to keep an area secure. This can mean video surveillance cameras and feeds; alarm systems; access control systems; occupancy, motion, or infrared sensors; and so on. When any of these security systems are used, the members of your security detail should be responsible for their maintenance and testing, and responsible for responding to any alarms that are triggered.
Patrol officers are also responsible for maintaining more basic security measures, such as making sure that doors are locked when necessary, and that other entries such as gates, windows, or garages are kept secure and operate as intended.
Deterring Criminal Behavior
One crucial aspect of what a patrol officer does is mitigate the threat of criminal behavior to your property and the people on it. If an officer encounters someone who is in a restricted area or on the premises after business hours, for example, the officer has a duty to approach that person and ascertain whether they have a legitimate purpose for being on your property. Even the mere presence of a patrol officer can act as a deterrence for suspicious activity that may otherwise occur, particularly if security personnel are armed.
Responding in an Emergency
Patrol officers also have the duty of serving as the first line of defense in the event of an emergency. Not only will they be the first on the scene to respond to whatever situation might arise, but they also are trained to be effective liaisons to emergency services so that they can provide the most effective assistance possible upon arrival. A trained patrol officer’s ability to keep calm in high-pressure situations is an asset in any emergency.
All of these responsibilities and more will be handled with the highest degree of professionalism when you hire GoJoe Patrol patrol officers to secure your property. Whatever your security demands are, we’re ready to rise to the challenge. Contact GoJoe Patrol to learn more about what we can do to protect your property and personnel from harm.
