Do routine patrols actually deter incidents, or is unpredictability more important?
One thing I’ve always found interesting about security work is how much value people put on routine patrols versus unpredictable patrols.
A fixed patrol schedule makes sense operationally. Guards know what areas need to be checked, supervisors can verify that rounds are being completed, and the client gets a consistent level of coverage. But at the same time, if someone watching the property can figure out exactly when a guard will pass through a particular area, the patrol becomes fairly predictable.
There’s also the practical side. You can’t realistically make every patrol completely random, especially on a large property with specific checkpoints, access points, parking areas, loading zones, etc.
So where do people draw the line?
Is it better to have a consistent patrol schedule with some variation built into the route and timing, or should patrols be deliberately unpredictable whenever the site allows it?
I’m also curious whether people have noticed a difference in what actually gets reported during patrols. Sometimes the value of a patrol seems less about catching someone in the act and more about noticing things that would otherwise turn into problems later unsecured doors, damaged gates, lighting issues, blocked access, suspicious activity, or something simply being out of place.
For those who have worked different types of sites, what approach has worked best in practice?