FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
TECH VERSUS HUMAN JUDGEMENT
CCTV, alarms, and sensors are vital tools in any security setup, but they have clear limits. They can detect motion or sound an alarm, but they can’t read intent, understand nuance, or defuse a volatile situation. That’s where trained professionals make the critical difference. The real value of mobile patrols lies in their ability to bridge the gap between data and decision-making. Officers assess risks in real time, interpret the situation on the ground, and act with authority and professionalism. It’s a level of judgment, adaptability, and human insight that no technology can replicate.
Every patrol and report contributes to a vital audit trail, which is essential for compliance, insurance claims and demonstrating duty of care. Yet, the real value comes from consistency and experience: officers who know the site, its risks, and the people who work there respond faster and more effectively. Forward-thinking providers recognise this, investing in officer wellbeing, mental health, and ongoing training to maintain long-term consistency. After all, experienced officers are safer officers.
A GROWING NEED
The hours when your site is unoccupied are often the most vulnerable and since the pandemic these hours may have increased or no longer remain static across the weeks or months of the year. Mobile patrols provide that agile oversight across multiple sites without requiring extra staff or late-night callouts. By handling incidents professionally and documenting every event, mobile security reduces operational pressure, helps FM teams maintain compliance, and keeps sites safe without additional headcount or sleepless nights.
Mobile security is also playing a growing role in corporate risk management. Beyond traditional security tasks, patrols often contribute to fire safety checks, identify health and safety risks, detect water leaks or energy waste, and switch off unused equipment-supporting sustainability goals by preventing avoidable damage and reducing unnecessary energy consumption. Officers act as an extension of the FM team, providing valuable on-the-ground intelligence from flagging faulty access points and broken lights to identifying areas prone to fly-tipping or unauthorised access. This feedback loop helps facilities managers make more informed decisions, plan maintenance more effectively, and stay one step ahead of potential risks.
In an era where FMs are juggling stretched budgets, staff shortages, and mounting operational pressures, mobile security offers a quiet but powerful advantage: it’s easily scalable across multi-site operations, delivers a responsive and professional presence that keeps sites secure, compliant, and operational.
