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Guard tour control: checkpoints, route trail and photos
After every loss and every client inspection, the same question comes up: how do you prove that the patrol actually went that way? An entry in a notebook answers it only as long as nobody assumes bad faith.
A patrol run in TraxSystem on a mobile device scans checkpoints with a proximity tag or by position on the map, and the session records the trail of the route covered. At selected checkpoints a photo can be made mandatory, and then a patrol without the photo will not be closed as complete.
A route can be open or in a fixed order. A skipped checkpoint, a late scan and a round that takes longer than planned all close the patrol with the status “with remarks”. The shift supervisor sees such a patrol first thing the next morning.
The patrol device works offline, because at half of all sites there is no signal out in the grounds, and a patrol cannot depend on whether there happens to be signal.
Electronic duty log, notes and shift handovers
Entries in the TraxSystem duty log are electronic and tied to the user account and the shift, so they cannot be added retrospectively without leaving a trace. An official note can be sent to a supervisor for review and come back with a decision, instead of ending with someone having read it.
Incident documentation with photos and a signature
Incident documentation written up from memory three days later is only as good as that memory. In TraxSystem an incident is documented on the spot: a description, photos, the location marked on the site map and a signature drawn with a finger on the screen. The output is a ready PDF report that can be sent to the client or attached to an insurance claim.
Separately, there is a view of alarm panel status together with the event history. With panels from other manufacturers, the system shows what happened and when, but it does not arm zones or control them.
Lone working control and post check-ins
In TraxSystem, a person working alone confirms contact in a set cycle of check-ins. A missed confirmation triggers a retry, and then a notification to the people specified in the configuration. The check-in channel can be a phone call to the dispatcher, an SMS with a code, both at once or a confirmation window in the app.
A patrol and a lone working check-in are easy to confuse. A patrol is carried out around the grounds and collects a route trail and photos. A check-in is handled from the post and confirms contact with the person, without their location: the check-in cycle does not collect coordinates.
A post can run around the clock, to a schedule or in manual mode, in which duty is switched on by the dispatcher or by the officer by SMS. In scheduled mode, no schedule means “off duty”, so the system won’t call for check-ins at night from a post that isn’t staffed at that time.
What TraxSystem does not do in site security
TraxSystem is not a CCTV system and does not record camera footage continuously. What it does record are the moments that matter to security: a photo and a short video clip of a passage through an access control point, and photos of the vehicle at entry and exit, and a clip can be attached to an alert. Nor does it control alarm panels from other manufacturers. It shows their status and history, while arming and disarming zones stays in the alarm system.
The system does not detect incidents by itself and does not analyse images in search of events. It documents what a person or an alert rule reports. It does not keep security staff rotas, because shift schedules belong to access control and time and attendance.
TraxSystem does not replace staffing where regulations or the contract with the insurer require it. It changes what the person at the post does, not whether they are there.
Frequently asked questions about the system for security
How long does it take to teach an officer to use the device?
Usually the first shift is enough. Scanning a checkpoint, adding a photo and closing an incident are three actions on one screen, and the interface is available in fourteen languages, which matters given staff turnover on sites.
Will it work if there is no signal on site?
Yes. The patrol works offline and uploads the session once it is back in range.
Can a security company handle several sites?
Yes. The data visibility scope restricts who sees what, in reports as well. There is more on the guarded site page.
Can an incident report be sent to the client?
Yes, as a PDF with a map, photos and a signature.
Related
On-site traffic and random inspectionAccess controlMobile devicesSite with manned guarding
Further reading: What is a security duty log? · Guard tour control: checkpoints · Incident documentation is created on the spot · Lone working: the employer’s duties