while consultants may take pains to explain the procedures of patrols to new clients, it is hard to visualize what a security officer does all night. The bleary-eyed morning shift files in and usually finds the officer at his desk or station sipping coffee and briefing his relief. Perhaps a mumble or two is heard about what a cushy job he has, after all what is there to do all night but sit and drink coffee when you work for a security company in Virginia?
Well, let’s take a peek into the nightlife of our average security officer named “Joe”. Joe could as easily be a Jane or a Dave, but his/her job is the same. Every job site is different but for the sake of this example let’s assume that Joe is night watchman at a lumber yard which is currently undergoing expansion and construction. Temporary fences are being used, and the gates are locked each night after the workers go home. Joe doesn’t have a relief in the morning since normal business hours mean there are plenty of eyes to watch the yard.
Joe relieves the evening shift and pours himself a cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate. For the purposes of this example let’s assume the season is deep winter. Joe has worked for the security company in Virginia for a year and has become very familiar with the job site. He reads the log the evening guard has just finished recording, and takes the briefing, noting that the evening shift was quiet.
Therefore, Joe settles back for a snooze as the evening guard leaves? Wrong. Joe dons his coat, gloves again, and makes his first inspection of the buildings and the perimeter. Any guard working for a security company in Virginia knows that winter is a tough time; inspections may take up to half an hour. It can be cold if they are not dressed warmly. Joe treks through the snow, and checks the main building entrance, noting the doors are locked and that the area is quiet.
Joe will then take his flashlight and survey all the doors checking that each is locked tightly. After his circuit of the buildings is finished, he will walk the fenced area. Located around the fenced area are checkpoints where Joe can insert his punch card proving he made the rounds at that time he was supposed to for the security company in Virginia.
Not all job sites have these checkpoint controls, but the imaginary company owner felt they were important. As Joe makes his circuit of the perimeter, he hears a noise over by the main building. He then goes to inspect the area and finds a raccoon sifting through the trash. Joe continues his circuit completing the last checkpoint forty-five minutes after beginning his shift.
Joe returns to the guard shack and begins to enter his regular report into the log. Just as this officer completes the log and pours another cup of something hot, he notices it is time to make the rounds again. A quick sip from the warm cup and off Joe is at it again.
Morning arrives, and the sleepy-eyed day shift files in. Joe is at his desk making final notes and sipping coffee. A mumble or two may be heard from the day workers about how easy Joe’s job is. We now know differently. There is plenty to do when working the night shift for a security company in Virginia.
Keeping this in mind now we need to understand that when you hire a security company to watch over you property, they do have systems to make sure that their employees are doing what they are supposed to, but with that said it is your job when choosing a security company that you verify these systems and make sure that they have supervisors checking on the sites as well.