When your team of security guards goes on patrol, they need to keep track of everything that happened in a given shift. That’s why activity logs are so crucial: they help record any significant events encountered or issues observed while performing premises rounds.
Performing Rounds of Your Premises
A routine patrol by your security team may not appear to yield results, at least on the surface. However, during their rounds, the guards you employ are carrying out numerous tasks.
- Deterring Intrusion: One of the most important duties that your security guards execute is limiting access by intruders. Highly-trained guards will notice when someone is acting suspiciously and will move to intervene, discouraging vandals, thieves, and loiterers from causing trouble on your premises and potentially causing customers to avoid entering your business.
- Deterring Crimes: During patrols, security guards are also responsible for responding to any crimes that are in-progress. They can contact law enforcement right away and gather and provide details and descriptions of suspects to officials who can investigate more thoroughly.
- Assisting Customers: While making their rounds, security guards also interact with customers and visitors, providing whatever assistance they can. For instance, they can guide customers who may have unwittingly entered a restricted area or rescue them if an emergency situation has created a dangerous environment that prevents customers and employees alike from escaping to safety.
Creating Activity Logs
Completing rounds of your premises hinges upon completing the same patrol routes every day. However, each new day brings with it a new set of potential threats to the safety and security of your commercial property. That means that new routes must be added to the existing routine patrols that your guards carry out. By creating activity logs, your security team can determine where they should focus the majority of their efforts. The following information is what should be included in these activity logs.
Beginning of Shift: All of your security guards should include information about the beginning of their shift. They must focus on noting the equipment they were issued, areas to focus on, and when they began their patrols.
Times: Security teams must indicate when and where an incident occurred on your premises.
Incident Reports: The guards must also provide detailed descriptions about any incident that happened or any issues they may have observed. Their incident reports should include all details of who, what, when and where something occurred and any contact information for all parties involved. Additionally, the incident report should describe what notifications were made to which authorities and their response.
The Benefits of Activity Logs
Having your security guards complete activity logs throughout the course of each shift helps ensure that there is detailed information about any incidents or issues observed that can help you better prepare for the future. When law enforcement officials arrive to investigate, you can offer them something tangible to help speed the case along. Surveillance footage can be lost or corrupted if technology fails. Activity logs can provide additional records of your business operations that can help pinpoint where any irregularities might occur and help stop a repeat offense that you otherwise would not be able to predict.
CES is Dedicated to Serving Our Community
Since opening in 1975, we have been committed to serving businesses in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland. Our values include proactive communication, honesty, reliability, and quality. We also believe in paying unparalleled attention to detail, no matter which service you require us to provide.
Our services include the following: Professional security teams for permanent, temporary, emergency and rapid-response support; around-the-clock patrols and management attention; concierge and hospitality staffing; and a dedicated mobile patrol service with associated staffing. Contact us for a free, professional consultation today! Call 443-471-7000. Don’t forget to follow us on Social Media through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn!