SECURITY TRAINING FOR SEAFARERS WITH DESIGNATED SECURITY DUTIES IMO MODEL COU...
General police operations
1. Patrolling
One definition of patrolling is the conduct of frequent pedestrian tours within specified
geographic boundaries in order to keep the people free from the enemy. Night patrolling is not
conducted just to contact the enemy. In fact, the final objective of patrolling is no contact at all,
provided that the state of peace is reached by deterrence of the enemy.
Patrolling is a military tactic. Small groups or individual units are deployed from a larger
formation to achieve a specific objective and then return. The tactic of patrolling may be
applied to ground troops, armoured units, naval units, and combat aircraft. The duration of a
patrol will vary from a few hours to several weeks depending on the nature of the objective and
the type of units involved.
Different types of patrol with their corresponding objective:
A fighting patrol is a group with sufficient size (usually platoon or company) and
resources to raid or ambush a specific enemy. It primarily differs from an attack in that the aim
is not to hold ground.
A clearing patrol is a brief patrol around a newly occupied defensive position in order to
ensure that the immediate area is secure. Clearing patrols are often undertaken on the
occupation of a location, and during stand to in the transition from night to day routine and
vice versa.
A Standing Patrol is a static patrol, probably known as an OP/LP(Observation
Post/Listening post) in US and NATO terminology. Standing patrols are usually small (half
section/section) static patrols intended to provide early warning, security or to guard some
geographical feature, such as dead ground.
A Reconnaissance (recce) patrol is a patrol, usually small whose main mission is the
gathering of information. Generally speaking recce patrols tend to avoid contact, although it is
not completely unknown for recon patrols to "fight for information".
A number of patrols may be deployed to 'screen' a large area. This type of patrol is used
by armoured formations in desert theatres, and also by ground troops operating in urban areas.
A screen is generally composed of a number of observation posts.
2. Preparations for Patrols.
Patrols require detailed planning, and ideally its successful execution would only involve
careful execution for such detailed la. In practice, however, this is not enough. Many aspects of
patrol cannot be specifically planned, for various situations may arise and will require revisions
and modifications of even the most carefully prepared plans. Eventually, the successful conduct
of a patrol is the end result of aggressive efforts of every patrol member to apply the
knowledge, skills and ingenuity to accomplish the mission.
Patrol Initiating Directives.
When higher headquarters decide to send out patrols to accomplish a certain task. It
issues initiating directives for concerned units to prepare for the conduct of such mission.
1. Patrol Warning Order. It is a preliminary notice issued by the initiating authority to
the unit that is directed to conduct the patrol. A warning order is designed to give a
subordinate unit enough time to prepare by giving its commander enough
information that he needs to draft initial plans and make initial coordination. The
specific contents of a warning order may vary according to the requirements of the
mission. A patrol warning order maybe issued either in writing or orally. It normally
includes the following parts:
1.1 Situation. It gives a brief description of the situation of both the enemy and
friendly forces.
a. Mission. It answers the questions of Who, What, When, Where and Why.
b. General Instruction. This part gives instructions on the actions to be
undertaken by all patrol members, to include the weapons, equipment and
supplies to be brought along during the patrol.
c. Specific Instructions. These instructions are given to patrol members who are
in charge of specific preparations.
d. Time and Place for Final Briefing. This part of the warning order specifies the
time and place for the final briefing where the Patrol Leader will give his last
instructions.
1.2 Patrol Order. It is the order issued by higher headquarters
directing the Commander of a unit to organize a patrol to
accomplish a certain mission. On his part, the Commander
designates and directs a subordinate officer as the Patrol Leader.
The designated Patrol Leader in turn prepares an implementing
3. Patrol Order and briefs his men on all the necessary details to
ensure coordinated action and success of the patrol. The patrol order is a form of an
operations order, which closely follows the basic format:
a. Situation. It gives the location, disposition, capabilities. Strengths and weaknesses,
activities and the most probable course of action of the enemy. Also include disposition and
location of friendly forces, the commander’s intent and the planned actions of the adjacent
units.
b. Mission and Plan of Action. It is the clear and concise statement of purpose and the
tasks to be accomplished. 1 generally follows the Who, What, When, Where and Why format.
c. Execution. Includes the Commander’s Intent, Concept of Operation, tasks of patrol
elements and all coordinating instructions.
d. Administration and Logistics. All combat service support arrangements and
instructions that administratively and logistically support the patrol.
e. Command and Signal. Contains information related to command and signal.
2. Execution of Patrol. The patrol members should remember the following important
principles during the execution of the patrol:
a. Movement. The patrol must move with utmost secrecy and stealth. The patrol
mission could be compromised by premature or unexpected contact with the enemy. This
principle is particularly important since a patrol normally do not have any reserve or friendly
unit nearby to assist it. The lead element should master the scouting techniques in order to
snot the enemy early and to avoid contact in the case of reconnaissance patrols. It must avoid
contact if possible, unless it is in accordance to the place. The patrol’s mission could be
compromised when premature or unexpected contact has been made. More so, it has no
reserve or any other unit to assist if contact is made. In this regard, le1 elements should master
the scouting techniques to be able to spot the enemy early and to avoid premature contact.
How to Draw a Panoramic Sketch
1. Draw a horizon.
2. Put prominent points.
3. Put notes above prominent points.
4. Give sketches a title and indicate azimuth of most prominent features and place, date and
time when made.
5. Affix signature.
Contact in reconnaissance patrols. If contact is established, the emphasis should be to
break away from the engagement.
4. b. Control Measures. The Patrol Leader should know how to effectively use control
measures to facilitate the movement of the patrol to the objective and its return to areas of
friendly units. Patrol control measures include the following:
1. Primary and Alternate Routes. The Patrol Leader must select a primary route and at least
one alternate route to and from the patrol objective. The routes should be divided into
segments, which starts and ends at an easily recognizable terrain feature. The designation of
primary and alternate routes will enable the Patrol Leader and the members of the patrol to
remain oriented during the progress of the patrol.
2. Checkpoints. Patrol Leaders should designate checkpoints along the route of the patrol.
Checkpoints are recognizable terrain features, which could guide the members of the patrol in
finding out if the patrol is on the right course to the objective. Pre-selected check points
marked on the map is an essential navigational aid, which may be in the form of rivers, ridges or
towers.
3. Rallying Points. Rallying points are places on the ground where a temporarily dispersed
patrol can assemble arid reorganize. Before the patrol departs, the Patrol Leader must select an
initial rallying point and an objective rallying point. Other rallying points may be designated
along the route to the objective when necessary, as when the patrol is about to cross a danger
area or when enemy contact is imminent. The first patrol member who reaches the rallying
point should reconnoiter and secure it before the other members of the patrol arrive. Following
are the essential characteristics of an ideal rallying point:
a. Must provide concealment, and when possible also adequate cover.
b. Must be defensible for at least a short time.
c. Must be easily recognized and known to all members of the patrol.
c. Departure from and Re-Entry to Friendly Lines. The Patro4 Leader should ensure that
complete coordination is made at the exit and re-entry points to avert any possibility of mis-
encounter. He must also arrange for the use of guides through obstacles and coordinate for t1
radio frequency and the appropriate challenge and passwords. A returning patrol must stop a
few hundred meters from the intended point entry and see to it that patrol members are
recognized by friendly and before they enter. During the entry, the Patrol Leader must account
for each of the patrol members to see to it that no enemy infiltrators are among them.
d. Actions at Danger Areas. During execution, the Patrol Leader must plan to avoid
areas where the likelihood of enemy cont1 or discovery is great. These areas are called danger
areas and may include highways, clearings and other known enemy occupied areas. Each
danger area is different and may have to be crossed differently. The basic point to remember,
however, is to cross them as fast possible, to offer the least exposure to enemy observation and
fire. The patrol leader may adopt the following procedures in going to a danger areas:
a. Design rallying point beyond a danger area and ensure that it is known to all members.
5. b. Designate areas to the near side of such rallying point and have it secured by some of the
members.
c. Designate the fair side of the rallying point and have secured by some of the members.
d. Have its flanks secured.
e. Direct the rest of the patrol to cross danger areas in fire team or individually and assemble
inside the rallying point.
f. Recognize and then proceed with the patrol.
e. Action on Unexpected Enemy Contact. When the patrol makes an unexpected and
undesirable contact, it must be prepared to quickly break engagement and continue its mission.
A patrol lea1 may give his men training on immediate action drills before departing on patrol.
This maybe incorporated in the unit’s SOP or s established only for a particular mission for
immediate action drills. It normally includes action for breaking contacts and for reacting to the
ambushes.
f. Action at the Objective. For all types of patrol, detailed instruction must be given for
action at the objective. This includes the following:
a. Occupation and security of the objective rallying point.
b. Conduct leader’s reconnaissance.
c. Final check of equipment and personnel and necessary adjustment to plan.
d. Initial positioning of elements of the patrol.
e. Fire support.
f. Signals.
g. Action after execution of plans.
h. Dissemination and information obtained at the objective to all patrol
members.
Patrol Debriefing. Immediately after the return, a through debriefing should be
conducted while the events of the patrol are still fresh on the minds of the members.
Operations and Intelligence personnel from higher headquarters normally conduct the
debriefing. The patrol debriefing is oral and the Patrol Leader may also be required to
6. submit a written report later. The following information may be gathered by the debriefing
personnel who may also be included in the written report:
a. Size and composition of the unit conducting the patrol.
b. Departure and return times.
c. Routes taken by the patrol, to include the checkpoints, grid coordinates used
for each leg of the patrol.
d. Detailed description of terrain and enemy positions that were discovered and
identified.
e. Results of any contact with the enemy.
f. Unit status at the conclusion of the patrol mission, including the disposition of
dead or wounded soldiers.
g: Conclusions or recommendations.