A patrol involves a security guard periodically making their way around a defined area/perimeter, such as your workplace or residential properties. They may conduct both internal and external patrols depending on the size of your property. Patrols may be conducted during downtimes in your organization or when you may have other personnel on-site.

External patrols are those that are conducted outside of your property; this may be checking all entrances and exits and car parking areas or complete residential neighborhoods.

Security officers will have routes they know need to be conducted regularly; however, they should never create any form of a pattern, and all patrols should be undetectable. If a pattern can be determined by criminals, it can instantly make your security redundant and increase the vulnerability of your facility.