On Patrol....

WARNING! - Standing a post, conducting regular patrols can become routine after awhile. When there are long periods of inactivity your mind can wander, you become complacent about your surroundings. It's easy to get lulled in to a routine. 

Potential Consequences - Losing your focus, and/or getting in to a routine will reduce your awareness of your surroundings. Failing to remain alert will compromise the safety of those around you and yourself. Situations that go unnoticed by you can quickly spiral out of control. 

What to do - You have to remain alert and aware of your surroundings, but how do you do that? 

1. Make it a game - Hone your observation skills by viewing your surroundings, memorizing locations of items, noting the times your "regulars" arrive and leave each day to see how accurate you can become in recalling information. 
2. Vary your routine where possible - make a note of your patrols and then change up the times from day-to-day. Reverse walking patrols and/or double-back periodically. 
3. Scan your surroundings - make a point to scan the environment around you frequently. Set a timer on your phone or watch to remind you check your surroundings for any changes. When walking, scan far ahead of you to see if behaviors change once you approach.
4. Awaken your mental alert level - one simple, silly way, to do this is to reverse your front pockets! What? take the items in your front pockets and switch them, move key rings to the opposite side of belt if your dress code allows. Seem silly? By doing this, you will be breaking some mental routines, it creates good stress. This increased good stress awakens you and can increase your alert levels. Try it!
5. Make notes - make notes about what you observe when the environment appears normal. This will awaken your mind and increase your observation skills of what you observe.

You owe to yourself and those around you to remain alert at all times. You need to be ready to react when required. Remaining alert, keeping an awareness of your surroundings will ensure you are better prepared to react when the routine changes. 

Test your observation skills