The central operational problem.
WHY IT MATTERS
Guards work alone, at night, without observation, and performance is invisible.
WHAT COMMONLY HAPPENS WITHOUT SUPERVISION
Sleeping on duty Patrols not performed Absence from post Unauthorised people admitted Collusion in theft
WHAT SUPERVISION REQUIRES
Unannounced visits Verification that patrols occurred Communication checks Records that cannot be completed in advance
WHY UNANNOUNCED
Announced visits verify nothing.
WHAT PATROL VERIFICATION SYSTEMS PROVIDE
Evidence that the guard was at defined points at defined times.
HOW THEY WORK
Checkpoints the guard must physically reach and register.
WHY THEY MATTER
They convert an unverifiable claim into a record.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Checkpoints in places requiring an actual patrol to reach.
WHAT COMMUNICATION CHECKS PROVIDE
Confirmation that the guard is awake and present.
HOW OFTEN
Regularly through the night.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
What happens when a check is missed.
WHY
A missed check may mean the guard is asleep, or in danger.
WHAT TO RECORD
Every supervisory visit, its time and findings.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT FAILURES
Address them consistently.
WHY CONSISTENTLY
Inconsistent enforcement is worse than none.
WHAT TO PROVIDE SUPERVISORS
Transport, authority and time to actually visit.
WHY
Supervision that exists on paper is not supervision.
