Written by Paul Thandi, Operations Manager, On Guard Security Ltd. — 10+ years in BC security · Updated September 2026
Not every property needs a guard standing on site all night. Many need someone to check it properly several times a night, lock it up, attend when an alarm goes off, and prove each visit happened. That is what our mobile patrol security service provides. Licensed On Guard Security Ltd. officers drive a scheduled or randomised route between client sites across Surrey and the Lower Mainland, scan GPS-logged checkpoints at every stop, and report what they find. This page explains what happens on a visit, how verification works, and how to decide whether patrol is enough for your site.
Key takeaways
Mobile patrol security means a licensed officer visits your property several times per shift rather than staying on site.
Every visit is verified: the officer scans checkpoints at your site, and those scans become your report.
Randomised visit times stop anyone from simply waiting for the patrol to leave.
Patrol costs less than a full-time guard, but nobody is on site between visits, so it suits lower-risk or after-hours coverage.
On Guard Security Ltd. runs patrols with licensed, JIBC-trained, unarmed officers and 24/7 support.
With mobile patrol, one officer covers a route of several properties instead of staying at one. Each site receives a set number of visits per night, or every few hours, as agreed with you. At every visit the officer gets out of the vehicle, checks the property on foot and records what they find. In BC this is licensed work: the Security Services Act defines a security guard service as including “a guard patrol or watch of property”, so patrol officers need the same worker licence as any other guard.
Patrol vehicles are easy to recognise. The Security Services Regulation requires a vehicle used for guard work to display “SECURITY” on both sides, in letters at least 7.5 cm high, along with the company’s name and phone number. It also bars sirens, police-style light bars and markings that make a vehicle look like a police car. A marked car in the lot tells anyone watching that the property is checked, without pretending to be something it is not.
We agree the tasks for each visit with you in advance. Depending on the site, they can include:
Walking the perimeter and checking doors, gates, windows and fences.
Checking parkades, stairwells, loading docks, bin enclosures and yard storage.
Asking people who are on the property without permission to leave, and calling police if they refuse or the situation isn’t safe.
Reporting hazards: lights that are out, water leaks, open doors, damage and graffiti.
Locking up at closing time and unlocking in the morning, so staff don’t have to.
Following a set checklist for vacant buildings and construction sites that are closed for the weekend.
Patrol officers also handle alarm response. BC’s guard licence covers “monitoring or responding to security alarms installed on the property of another person”, so when your alarm company calls, a patrol officer can attend, check the premises and report back. That way a keyholder doesn’t have to drive out at 3 a.m.
Key insight: The value of a patrol visit lies in what the officer checks on foot. A drive-by through the lot proves very little. Ask any provider what the officer physically touches and checks at each stop.
From the start, we wanted clients never to have to wonder whether a patrol really happened. We set up checkpoints at key points around your property, such as the main door, the back gate, the loading dock or the parkade level. The officer scans each one on every visit. Each scan is logged with the time and location, and our management team can see scans as they come in, so a missed or late checkpoint gets noticed during the shift, not the following week.
At the end of the shift, the scans and the officer’s notes are compiled into a report that you can request at any time. Over a month, that report shows exactly how often your site was checked, what was found, and whether problems are growing or easing.
A patrol that arrives at 11:00, 2:00 and 5:00 every night is easy to predict. Anyone watching the site for a few nights will learn the pattern. We vary arrival times within windows agreed with you, so the number of visits stays the same but the timing changes. If you need fixed times, for example a 10 p.m. lock-up or a 6 a.m. unlock, we keep those fixed and randomise the rest.
We will be honest with you: a guard on site all shift protects a property more continuously than any patrol can, because nobody is present between patrol visits. Patrol makes sense when the risk is moderate, when the goal is to check, deter and respond rather than to watch constantly, or when budget rules out a full shift. It is also a common next step when a construction site is closed in, or when a site’s problems have eased. Our guide to static guards versus mobile patrol compares the two in detail.
Key insight: Many properties don’t have to choose between the two. A guard during the riskiest hours and patrol visits for the rest of the night can give strong cover at a lower cost than a full shift.
On Guard Security Ltd. has more than 10 years in BC security and runs its patrols from its headquarters at 12565 88 Ave in Surrey, covering Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Langley, Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley. Our officers are licensed and JIBC-trained, every new hire completes a week of one-on-one training with a senior officer, and our management team is available 24/7. We’re WorkSafeBC compliant and fully insured. You can confirm any guard’s or company’s licence in the province’s licence status verification tool. For how patrol pricing compares with hourly guarding, see our security cost guide.
Mobile patrol security means a licensed security officer drives a route between several client properties, visiting each one on a schedule or at random times, checking it on foot, and recording each visit, instead of staying at one site for the whole shift.
What does Mobile Patrol do?
A mobile patrol officer checks doors, gates and perimeters, walks parkades and yards, asks trespassers to leave, reports hazards and damage, locks and unlocks buildings, and attends alarm calls. Each visit is logged by scanning checkpoints on site.
What is the hourly rate of a security guard compared with mobile patrol?
An on-site guard is billed by the hour for the full shift, while mobile patrol is usually billed per visit or per month for a set number of visits. That makes patrol the lower-cost option. The exact price depends on the number of visits, the time spent at each stop and the length of the contract.
How do I know the patrol officer actually visited?
Our officers scan checkpoints placed around your property on every visit. Each scan is logged with the time and location, our management team can see them during the shift, and you can request the end-of-shift report at any time.
Can a mobile patrol respond to my alarm?
Yes. When your alarm monitoring company calls us, a patrol officer attends, checks the premises, secures what they can and reports back. On Guard Security Ltd. doesn’t sell or monitor alarm systems. We provide the officer who goes to your site.
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