Glossary
The language of the operation.
Plain-English definitions for the terms that come up in security escort and high-value freight operations.
Chain of Custody (Freight)
In freight and logistics, chain of custody is the documented, unbroken record of who handled a shipment and where it was at each step, from origin to destination. For high-value cargo escorts, it’s built from timestamped handoffs, geo-tagged checkpoints, and signatures that together prove the shipment was continuously accounted for.
Geo-Tagged Checkpoint
A geo-tagged checkpoint is a logged stop or milestone along a route that captures a photo, GPS coordinates, and a timestamp. In security escorts, checkpoints provide proof of service and assemble into a verifiable chain of custody from origin to destination.
High-Value Cargo (HVC)
High-value cargo (HVC), also called high-value freight, is any shipment whose worth, sensitivity, or theft risk warrants extra security — such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, or defense materials. HVC shipments often require security escorts, real-time tracking, and a documented chain of custody.
Proof of Service
Proof of service is verifiable evidence that a job was performed as agreed. For a security escort, it means timestamped, geo-tagged records — checkpoint photos, status changes, and a completed data sheet — that show the escort protected the shipment from origin to destination.
Security Escort Data Sheet
A Security Escort Data Sheet is a structured record of a high-value freight escort mission. It captures trip and vehicle details — order number, origin and destination, schedule, truck, trailer, and driver — plus on-site information the escort fills in during the mission, creating one shared source of truth for the operation and its client.
Security Operations Center (SOC)
A security operations center (SOC) is the team and facility that monitors and coordinates security operations in real time. For a security escort company, the SOC watches live mission tracking, communicates with field escorts, responds to incidents, and maintains the audit trail across every active escort.