Static guard or
mobile patrol?

When a static guard makes sense

• Someone needs to control who comes in: a gatehouse, a reception, a site with deliveries at all hours.
• The site is large, complex or high-value, and needs a constant presence.
• A period of known risk: after a break-in, during a dispute, with a high-value delivery on site, or while an alarm or fence is out of action.
• An insurer or client contract requires it.

When a mobile patrol makes sense

• A visible check is enough of a deterrent, and nobody needs to be there all night.
• You need doors locked, lights off and the site checked at close — or opened in the morning.
• You have several smaller sites, where one officer can cover them all.
• Budget: a patrol costs a fraction of a full guarding shift.

Where monitoring fits

A patrol only sees your site while it is there. Monitored CCTV watches all night and sends someone when something happens; a patrol adds a visible presence and physical checks between those moments. For many sites, monitoring plus response gives more cover for the money than a static guard — and where a guard is needed, cameras give the control room a second set of eyes on anything that develops.

Licensing

Officers guarding premises or property under contract need an SIA licence that covers it — usually Security Guarding or Door Supervisor. It is reasonable to ask a provider to confirm every officer’s licence.

What to ask

• Is the officer briefed on the site, and against what written instructions?
• How are patrol visits recorded and reported to you?
• Who backs the officer up if something happens?