Patrol versus a posted officer.

The core difference.

A posted officer remains on the property for the entire shift and can act on whatever happens in real time. Mobile patrol consists of periodic visits by a marked vehicle at varied times, with each visit checking specific points and recording the result.

The first offers continuity; the second offers coverage across more hours, or more properties, for less.

Where patrol is sufficient.

Offices and shops that sit empty overnight have no one to admit and no one to assist. The requirement there is verification: entries secure, perimeter intact, nothing unusual.

Patrol provides exactly that. Officers in marked vehicles vary their timing, check defined points and log each visit. Visit frequency reflects budget and need and can be revised once reports show what’s happening.

Reaching a decision.

We’ll set out both options, with hours and costs, in a written quote after a free walkthrough. Because coverage runs month to month, the decision can be revisited.

How the choice plays out on familiar property types

Picture a two-story professional office near California Avenue that closes at six. Nobody arrives after dark, so patrol visits at varied hours, with lockup confirmed on the first pass, meet the need for less than a full shift would cost.

Now take a research building in Stanford Research Park where teams work late and visitors come in for evening demos. Someone has to confirm who is entering, so a posted officer through the evening, followed by patrol once the last team leaves, matches how the building is actually used.

A storefront block on University Avenue needs attention at closing, when staff head to their cars and the street empties. An officer for the closing hour, then patrol checking rear doors and service alleys overnight, covers both moments.