The Benefits of Roving Patrol


By Jonah Nathan, Vice President of Ranger Guard

Sensible spending is always essential in business, but every dollar counts more than ever in this shaky economy. In a changing industry and at a time of unprecedented inflation, business leaders are always looking for new ways to save money without compromising on safety. Mobile patrol is an innovative way to keep your property safe at a lower cost.

A quick sketch of the problem it solves and how Roving Patrol works.

Most private security firms have minimal offerings. They stick to the classics of hiring a guard. A single or pair of guards posted at the entrance to your building is the most common form of security in the world. Most clients are very familiar with this type of security, and it makes them feel protected and safe. It’s a very effective form of security, but it’s also very expensive. You have to have someone there hour after hour. Many businesses simply cannot afford to pay for so many committed staff. But they also can’t afford to compromise their security needs. After all, with no security guards, the business is at risk of theft, vandalism, workplace fights getting out of hand, and worse. 

Getting out of this bind is a problem facing businesses across the country. I knew there had to be a better alternative. That’s why I developed Roving Patrol with Ranger Guard. 

To start, I looked at what people are actually paying for with a standard guard. As with any service, it’s vital to look at what people are getting for their money and if there is a way to get the same thing or something similar for a reduced cost. 

So why do guards prevent crime?

Guard security works because criminals are afraid of getting caught. Would-be-thieves know that if they attempt to rob your building, they will be stopped by the guards. So they don’t try anything. When you hire a static guard, you don’t expect them to spend their entire shift physically pulling thieves off the front steps. People take one look at the guard and decide not to attempt a crime. 

Deterrence does the job.

Once I isolated that people were really paying for deterrence rather than for a guard, the next step was to find a way to offer that same deterrence without the fixed hourly costs of an in-person guard. The answer was a vehicle. A security officer in a clearly marked patrol vehicle visits several sites per shift—signs in the windows and lawn indicating the area’s patrol service. 

That’s how roving patrol offers the same level of deterrence without the cost of hiring a guard to stand there all night. 

Once onsite, officers perform a check, making sure doors and windows are locked and noting any damage or signs of entry. Because their visits are random, thieves do not know when a guard will show up. As far as they know, a uniformed security officer could arrive at any moment.

But in the 21st century, it is not enough to have the officers arrive and patrol sites. We integrated mobile patrol into our tracking technology. Roving patrol officers upload reports and pictures to digital checkpoints when they arrive onsite. This information is updated live and available for clients to access at any time. The information is also stored on record, so you can pull up the log for any given day whenever you need. This could be useful for insurance or legal issues that may arise.

When roving patrol officers are on site, they show up uniformed with the tools and equipment they need. Flashlights and protection gear ensure they can see what’s going on and defend themselves if necessary. Officers are highly trained. We teach all our guards patrol tactics, anti-terrorism, first aid, and how to de-escalate situations verbally. A tense situation is always better resolved peacefully. Because we believe in getting experienced people out there doing what they do best, we usually hire military or law enforcement veterans. 

Perhaps most importantly, our officers are highly visible. They show up in a brightly decorated patrol car that looks like a security vehicle with lights flashing. Their black uniforms have clear markings denoting their status as security personnel.

All of this serves to warn potential criminals to back off. 

Since mobile patrol officers visit several sites during a shift, this enables you to split the cost of security with several other business owners. You get full deterrence at a fraction of the cost of a traditional guard. 

Since launching Roving Patrol, Ranger Guard has seen tremendous success. Many business owners have been able to reduce their insurance premiums due to the added deterrence provided by mobile patrol. Businesses suffering from poor security can get protected at a far more reasonable price point. 

Roving patrol is one of the most effective ways to protect your business on a budget and let criminals know they are being watched.


Jonah Nathan is the vice president of Ranger Guard, a national private security firm based out of Houston, Texas. Jonah is also a security consultant for local TV, where he is routinely invited to share his expertise with the public. He has spent over a decade keeping Texan communities safe. His experience with Ranger Guard has seen him take on every role, from patrolling the streets to protecting heads of state.

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