Author: Ylva, Head of Marketing & Communications, GuardTools
Understanding the daily life of a security guard isn’t just about talking theoretically about alarms and patrols – sometimes, you need the firsthand experience. I, usually sitting in the office writing about our customers’ realities, recently had the opportunity to join Robert, an experienced guard at Vasik APS in Denmark, for an evening shift in central Copenhagen. The goal was clear: see GuardTools Mobile in action, get a sense of the day-to-day life of a guard, and understand how digital tools make their work easier.
Robert the guard – calm and assertive, and three pretty excited GuardToolers, ready to tag along for a work shift in Copenhagen!
Patrols, Locks, and Rounds – Step by Step
Over five hours, we completed both planned patrols and responded to alarms. In total, we walked more than six kilometers – a bit much for me, but a typical night for Robert can easily involve over 17,000 steps, somewhere around 14 kilometers, often even more, despite driving between different sites.
We started the shift with planned tasks: checking offices and schools after hours, locking gates at construction sites, and my personal favorite – a gate-locking round in a park surrounding a beautiful old church. Each patrol involves countless small tasks that must be documented and confirmed, often by scanning NFC tags at doors or gates.
When Alarms Interrupt the Routine
Alarms can appear at any point during patrols – often multiple times a night – and are almost always prioritized over planned work. A typical scenario: a door in an office building wasn’t properly locked when the perimeter alarm was activated. Sometimes the office staff don’t notice, so an alarm gets triggered. With GuardTools Mobile, Robert could pause his current patrol, handle the alarm, and then resume the planned patrol exactly where he left off – with full documentation and control.
A Guard’s Unpredictable Day – What’s the Weirdest Thing That Can Happen?
One of Robert’s most unusual alarm calls involved a supermarket alarm triggering multiple detectors in an incoherent pattern. Upon arrival, the culprit turned out to be a fox that had somehow got into the store – difficult to remove and virtually impossible to handle using standard procedures.
– “Well, I’ve dealt with break-ins and all kinds of strange situations, but never a fox in a supermarket,” Robert chuckled. “That one’s definitely not in the handbook.”
Robert’s solid experience was key here, and GuardTools Mobile made it easier to coordinate with the store manager and to produce a relevant documentation of the event. Moments like these highlight the unpredictable nature of a guard’s work.
Reporting Incidents – Small and Large
Guards document a wide range of incidents – from minor, seemingly insignificant details to complex situations. This can include scratches on doors, locks starting to fail, cars frequently blocking gates, or emergency exits that aren’t always fully accessible.
Documenting and reporting all incidents allows security companies and clients to analyze patterns over time. Trends or recurring issues can then be addressed before they escalate into bigger security risks. The data collected provides not only immediate control but also a foundation for proactive security management.
Digital Tools Supporting Reality
Fieldwork requires constant switching between planned rounds and urgent situations. GuardTools Mobile provides a clear overview of rounds, step-by-step alarm instructions, and tools for documentation. For the guard, this means less stress and more control – and for the client, a guarantee that all work is completed accurately.
There’s a lot of driving involved in patrolling – and, as it turns out, excellent sightseeing opportunities in Copenhagen for a Swede!
Reflections from the Office Perspective
Walking a mile in a guard’s shoes provides perspective: the job requires physical endurance, quick problem-solving, and constant vigilance. For Robert, GuardTools enables him to stay focused, complete patrols despite interruptions, and maintain control over every task – a reassurance both for him and for the clients he protects.
For me, as an office-based observer, it was incredible to follow along: navigating construction sites at night, closing a lot of open windows (it was a very warm day), handling broken locks, cars blocking gates, and everything in between. And besides the fact that I got a truly exquisite grand tour of Copenhagen – such a beautiful capital – I also got to see our solutions in action, genuinely improving the guards’ daily work. That made me feel really proud.
Thank you, Robert and Vasik APS in Copenhagen, for the opportunity to join – it was so much fun and very interesting! Can we please do it again?
