Glossary
Patrol route
A patrol route is the planned sequence of checkpoints a guard must visit during a tour, with target intervals, expected duration, and required actions per checkpoint. Modern guard tour software stores routes as structured data — checkpoint IDs, expected arrival windows, geofences, required photos — and validates execution against the plan in real time.
Definition
A patrol route definition includes: ordered checkpoint list (or randomized pool with minimum coverage rules), expected arrival window per checkpoint, geofence radius for GPS validation, required actions (scan only, scan + photo, scan + form), shift assignment, frequency (e.g. once per shift, every 90 minutes), and exception handling (skipped checkpoint protocol, deviation alerts). Some platforms support adaptive routes — the algorithm rebalances checkpoint coverage based on incident history or threat level.
Context
Route design is one of the highest-leverage decisions in a guard tour program. Predictable routes (always 8 PM at the loading dock) are easy to game; randomized routes are harder for a determined adversary but harder for guards to memorize and harder for clients to audit. Most programs settle on a hybrid: required checkpoints with mandatory frequency, plus a randomized pool sampled per shift. Routes should be reviewed quarterly against incident heatmaps.
Compliance relevance
Insurers and large enterprise clients often require a documented route design and quarterly review. SOC 2 CC6 evaluators look for evidence that routes cover the documented physical-access perimeter. NERC CIP requires patrol routes to cover all BES Cyber Asset perimeters.