Mobile Patrol Security Services

What Mobile Patrol Is

Mobile patrol places a licensed security officer on a route rather than at a single post. The officer visits each assigned site, or each zone of a large property, at set points in the shift, checks it against written Post Orders and records what was found.

McCray provides mobile patrol to retailers, property managers, developers, facility managers and residential boards. Coverage can stand on its own or work alongside fixed posts and remote video monitoring as part of a wider program.

What Patrol Officers Do on a Route

• Scheduled patrol checks at the times set in the Post Orders
• Randomized checks that vary the timing and order of visits, so the pattern is harder to predict
• Exterior checks of doors, gates, windows, fencing, lighting, loading areas and parking lots
• Interior checks of common areas, stairwells, back-of-house and other areas the client opens to the patrol
• Lock-ups and unlocks at closing and opening, following the client’s procedure
• Alarm response where it is part of the contracted scope
• Reporting of open doors, damage, hazards, trespassers and anything outside the normal condition of the site

Patrol officers observe, document and escalate. They summon law enforcement rather than intervene physically, except where both the law and the Post Orders for that assignment authorize otherwise.

Alarm Response

Where a client contracts for it, a patrol officer can be dispatched to check a site after an alarm activation, confirm its condition and report back. The officer follows the escalation steps in the Post Orders, including when to call police, the fire department or the keyholder. Arrival times depend on the officer’s location on the route, traffic and the other sites in the program, so McCray does not quote a fixed response time. Alarm response supports the client’s alarm monitoring arrangement. It does not replace it, and it does not replace a police response to a crime in progress.

Documented, Time-Stamped and GPS-Verified Patrol Logs

A patrol program is only as useful as its records. Every patrol visit is logged with the time and the officer’s GPS-verified location, so the client can see when each site was checked and what the officer found. Incidents are documented on scene, time-stamped and GPS-verified, with photographs.

• Every shift starts with a GPS-confirmed clock-in.
• The McCray Operations Desk answers 24/7/365, and calls reach a live person in English or Spanish.
• Supervisors make unannounced checks to confirm officers are following the route and the Post Orders.
• Coverage and incidents are reviewed with the client in a Monthly Operational Review and a Quarterly Business Review.

Mobile Patrol or a Fixed Post

Patrol and fixed posts solve different problems. A fixed officer provides continuous presence, access control and customer or tenant interaction at one location. A patrol officer provides periodic presence and verification across a wider area. Many programs use both.

Patrol Usually Fits When

• A portfolio has several sites that are closed or lightly occupied at night
• A property is large, such as a campus, yard or residential community, and needs regular checks rather than a person at one door
• The main risks are trespass, vandalism, break-ins and unsecured doors after hours
• The client needs proof that sites were checked, at a lower level of staffing than a full-time post

A Fixed Post Usually Fits When

• The site is open to the public and needs a visible officer at the entrance or on the floor
• Access must be controlled continuously, such as a lobby, gate or loading dock during operating hours
• Inventory value, incident history or lease and insurance terms call for constant presence

For fixed coverage, see Unarmed Security Guard Services, Armed Security Guard Services and Commercial Security Guard Services. A security risk assessment can help decide which approach suits each site.

Combining Patrol With Remote Video Monitoring

Patrol and remote video monitoring cover each other’s gaps. Cameras watch a site between patrol visits, and a patrol officer provides the physical check that a camera cannot: testing a door, confirming damage, meeting a keyholder or securing a site after an event. When monitoring identifies activity that needs a physical response, the Post Orders set out how the patrol officer is directed to the site and who else is notified.

Typical Clients and Sites

• Retail portfolios after hours: closing checks, lock-up verification and overnight exterior checks across groups of stores. See Retail Security Services.
• Commercial real estate: exterior and garage checks, after-hours lobby and common area checks, and opening and closing of buildings. See Commercial Security Guard Services.
• Construction sites: after-hours and weekend checks of the perimeter, laydown areas and equipment yards. See Construction Site Security.
• Warehouses and distribution centers: perimeter, yard and dock checks between shifts or when a facility is closed. See Warehouse and Distribution Center Security.
• Residential communities: patrols of garages, amenities, grounds and common areas. See Residential Security Services.

Officers, Screening and Licensing

Post Orders are written for each route and site, listing the checks per shift, lock-up and unlock steps, alarm response steps where contracted and the client contacts for escalation. Patrol officers complete a five-stage screening process and tier-based training, including de-escalation. Most patrol routes fit Tier I under the Officer Classification Program, since patrol, access checks and site security are its primary assignments. Tier II officers can be assigned where the client wants more experience on the route. Licensing requirements for security work are set by each state, and McCray verifies every officer’s license and training before assignment. Each location page on the Service Areas page lists the local requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times per night is each site checked?

The number of checks is set in the Post Orders for each site, based on its risk, its hours and the number of sites on the route. A higher-risk site can be checked more often than others on the same route, and some checks can be randomized so the timing is not predictable.

Does mobile patrol include alarm response?

It can. Alarm response is included where it is part of the contracted scope. The officer checks the site and follows the escalation steps in the Post Orders. Because arrival depends on the officer’s position on the route and on traffic, McCray does not promise a fixed response time.

How does a client know the patrol actually happened?

Each visit is logged with the time and the officer’s GPS-verified location, and incidents are documented on scene with photographs. Clients review coverage and incidents in a Monthly Operational Review and a Quarterly Business Review.

Can patrol replace a full-time officer?

For some sites, yes, particularly sites that are closed overnight or that mainly need exterior checks. Sites open to the public, or sites that need continuous access control, are usually better served by a fixed post. Many clients use patrol after hours and a fixed officer during operating hours.

Can mobile patrol be combined with cameras?

Yes. Remote video monitoring watches a site between patrol visits, and the patrol officer provides the physical check. The Post Orders set out how the two work together.