Seattle Issues New Response Parameters

Starting October 1, 2024, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) will only dispatch officers to calls from alarm companies with supporting evidence, such as audio, video, panic alarms or eyewitness evidence that a person is illegally entering or attempting to enter a residence or commercial property. SPD will no longer respond to calls from alarm companies based only on sensor or motion activations. With depleted resources we cannot prioritize a patrol response when there is a very low probability that criminal activity is taking place.

Read the full announcement HERE.

City of Tacoma, WA, Seeks to Reduce False Alarms

The city of Tacoma, Washington, Department of Tax and License reached out to TMA and SIAC in an effort to raise awareness of their efforts to reduce false alarms in their jurisdiction. If your company monitors accounts in Tacoma, here are their goals:

  1. Overall reduction of multiple false alarm calls generated from one location
  2. Specifically, reduce false alarm calls from video/sensor triggered alarms on properties with high volume of traffic – vehicles and people (i.e. car lots)
  3. Improve response/communication between alarm companies and the city

For more information, please contact:

Jasmin Flores
Business Systems Analyst
City of Tacoma | Finance Department | Tax & License
747 Market Street, Room 212, Tacoma, WA 98402
Email: JFlores1@cityoftacoma.org

SIAC Releases New Model Alarm Ordinance STATs and Case Study

SIAC recently released the latest STATs on its Model Alarm Ordinance. This slide captures the effectiveness of the organization’s efforts working in partnership with law enforcement.

Download the case study.

Learn more about SIAC.

New Study: Communities Find Success with Model Alarm Ordinance

A new study by a professor at the UNC-Charlotte, Criminal Justice & Criminology Department shows that most electronic security systems in the communities studied protect life and property without generating calls for police services. The study examined four communities that had adopted the Model Alarm Ordinance, developed by the industry and leaders in law enforcement to reduce unnecessary calls for service while maintaining police response to alarms.

The four communities included Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina; Atlanta and Marietta, Georgia; and Montgomery County, Maryland. These communities represented two large agencies, one smaller suburban agency and one county agency managing more than 570,000 permitted alarm systems.

“A key finding of the study,” said Dr. Joe Kuhns, “is that the vast majority of alarm systems in these four locations were effective at protecting lives and property while generating zero calls for service in a given year, and only a tiny percentage are problematic systems that generated multiple calls for service.”

The annual average percentage of registered alarms that generated zero dispatches was as high as 92% in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, 82.6% in Atlanta, 87.5% in Montgomery County and 66.4% in Marietta. These statistics represented an 8 or10-year average, depending on how long the ordinance had been in effect.

“It is also noteworthy that the percentage of zero dispatches tends to increase over time,” said Kuhns. “As jurisdictions get better at administration, and the public becomes more familiar with the ordinance, results consistently improved over time in these four settings.”

The proportion of problematic systems, which generate three or more dispatches in a year, was only .09% in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, 3.5% in Atlanta, 1.08% in Montgomery County and 8.7% in Marietta.

The Model Alarm Ordinance was created in collaboration with leaders in public safety through organizations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Sheriffs’ Association,” said Stan Martin, executive director of the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) which funded the study. “Public safety leaders recognize the important role electronic security plays in their communities and the importance of police response as a deterrent to crime.

“The Model Alarm Ordinance directly addresses the issue that the vast majority of false alarms are caused by user error,” said Martin. “The study demonstrates that the strategy of focusing on the chronic abusers and fining owners who are careless in operating their electronic security systems is the most effective way of minimizing calls for service.

“The Model Alarm Ordinance is a framework that communities can modify to best fit their local needs,” said Martin. “SIAC provides consultation at no cost to law enforcement agencies considering or modifying alarm ordinances.”

“The model alarm ordinance calls for increasing fines or even curtailing response to the very small percentage of systems that place inordinate demands on public safety agencies,” said Kuhns. “In addition, it mandates multiple contacts with the alarm site prior to contacting public safety agencies.”

“False alarms did not consume a lot of law enforcement resources in the four agencies we studied,” said Kuhns. “If we can replicate what they are doing across the nation’s 18,000+ law enforcement agencies, we are going to wind up saving a whole lot of money and time which can be devoted to other public safety priorities.”

Joe Kuhns, Ph.D., Professor, UNC-Charlotte, Criminal Justice & Criminology

Dr. Joe Kuhns teaches courses in policing, community policing, drugs and crime, and research methods at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Prior to arriving at UNCC in 2003, Dr. Kuhns served as a Senior Policy Analyst at the U.S. Department of Justice (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services).

About SIAC

SIAC represents one voice for the electronic security industry on alarm management issues –communicating solutions and enhancing relationships with law enforcement.  SIAC is comprised of four major North American security associations–Canadian Security Association (CANASA), Security Industry Association (SIA), The Monitoring Association (TMA), and the Electronic Security Association (ESA). For more information, go to www.SIACinc.org ,  www.siacinc.wordpress.com, or follow us on www.twitter.com/siacinc.

IACP Endorse Model Alarm Ordinance

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recently passed a resolution that endorses the Model Alarm Ordinance as a tool for promoting “bests practices” to achieve a reduction in alarm dispatches and recommends the ordinance to its 31,000 members in 165 countries.

The ordinance, already in use in approximately 1,000 jurisdictions, was developed and tested in a cooperative effort between the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC), the IACP, and the National Sheriffs’ Association.

The IACP resolution notes that the organization “recognizes the need for and value of enforcement tools and alarm management processes recommended in this Model Ordinance to achieve the desired reduction in alarm dispatches experienced by police agencies.”

“When fully implemented and enforced, the Model Ordinance results in an approximate 60% reduction or more in alarm dispatches,” said Stan Martin, SIAC Executive Director. “The ordinance focuses on the very small percentage of systems that cause problems for law enforcement and takes into account that 85% of alarm systems generate no dispatches in any given year.”

The Model Ordinance incorporates best practices that have proven to reduce calls for services, including:

  • ECC – Enhanced Call Confirmation (previously called Enhanced Call Verification or ECV) – Two calls to different numbers to determine the cause of the alarm and whether a dispatch is required. Video, audio, and other means of confirmation are also included in the referenced ANSI CS-V01 standard in the Model Ordinance.
  • Requiring Alarm Permits w/fees – Registration for security systems is critical for the effective management of alarm programs.
  • Limiting Free Responses/fines – Setting reasonable fines for alarm dispatches can be a significant deterrent to the occasional offender. Allowing a maximum of two free responses before incurring fines is advisable. Utilizing one free response will yield even higher dispatch reductions.
  • Ceasing Response to Chronic Abusers – The industry supports stopping response to the chronic abusers while including a reasonable appeal and restoration process.
  • Accepting Cancellations – Allowing calls to be canceled if originating party verifies response is not needed.

“SIAC recognizes and supports the importance of a strong relationship between law enforcement and the private sector,” said Martin. “As the industry’s voice on electronic security issues, SIAC is committed to continuing its decades-long collaboration with leading law enforcement organizations such as the IACP to support our shared mission to protect lives and property.”

Georgia Joins List of States Banning Fines for Alarm Companies When Customers Generate a False Alarm

Atlanta, Georgia (April 1, 2021) – The Georgia General Assembly has approved a bill that would ban counties or municipal corporations from fining alarm companies for false alarms generated by a customer and through no fault of the alarm system’s contractor.

“This bill has wider implications than for just our industry,” said John Loud, Vice President of Electronic Security Association (ESA) and President of LOUD Security Systems. “The concept of fining a company for a problem caused by its customers is the equivalent of sending someone’s speeding ticket to Ford and sets a precedent that could be a threat to many industries.”

“These policies do little to change user behavior, deny the user the right to confront their accuser and access to due process, and fines an innocent party for the actions of another,” said Stan Martin, Executive Director of the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC).

The introduction of the legislation follows a bitter three-year fight after the City of Sandy Springs passed a punitive ordinance that fined alarm companies. The city’s success in defending the legislation in court caused the legislature to act. Only one other Georgia city, Brookhaven, followed Sandy Springs’ lead.

A number of other states have passed bills similar to the Georgia bill in recent years including California, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Tennessee and Iowa.

“There has never been any evidence that fining alarm companies was any more effective than the model alarm ordinance that is widely utilized nationally and endorsed by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police,” said Martin.

“The model ordinance, which fines alarm users, obtains an average 60% reduction in false dispatches and impacts those causing most of the problems. In fact, 85% of alarm systems generate no calls to the police in any given year.”

Under the law companies are responsible for false alarms they cause due to faulty equipment or installation or failure to use a mandated system requiring two calls to an alarm site before notifying police.

“Common sense prevailed,” said Loud. “Our industry stands ready to work with any community that wishes to reduce unnecessary dispatches with a proven model and experts ready to assist.”

Governor Kemp is expected to sign the bill later this month.

Shared by: David Margulies, PRExperts

Georgia Joins List of States Banning Fines for Alarm Companies When Customers Generate a False Alarm

Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp has signed a bill that bans counties or municipal corporations from fining alarm companies for false alarms generated by a customer and through no fault of the alarm system’s contractor.

“We appreciate the support of Governor Kemp and lawmakers in supporting our industry and the millions of citizens and businesses we protect,” said John Loud, Vice President of Electronic Security Association (ESA) and President of LOUD Security Systems. “Lawmakers recognized that our industry has worked diligently with law enforcement leaders to develop and implement a Model Alarm Ordinance that significantly reduces the demand on police resources by penalizing individuals or businesses that cause false alarms primarily through user error.”

The introduction of the legislation follows a bitter three-year fight after the City of Sandy Springs passed a punitive ordinance that fined alarm companies. The city’s success in defending the legislation in court caused the legislature to act. Only one other Georgia city, Brookhaven, followed Sandy Springs’ lead.

A number of other states have passed bills similar to the Georgia bill in recent years including California, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Tennessee and Iowa.

“The model ordinance, which fines alarm users, obtains an average 60% reduction in false dispatches and impacts those causing most of the problems. In fact, 85% of alarm systems generate no calls to the police in any given year,” Said Stan Martin, Executive Director of the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC).

Under the law companies are responsible for false alarms they cause due to faulty equipment or installation or failure to use a mandated system requiring two calls to an alarm site before notifying police.

“Common sense prevailed,” said Loud. “Our industry stands ready to work with any community that wishes to reduce unnecessary dispatches with a proven model and experts ready to assist.”

Georgia Joins List of States Banning Fines for Alarm Companies When Customers Generate a False Alarm

Atlanta, Georgia (April 1, 2021) – The Georgia General Assembly has approved a bill that would ban counties or municipal corporations from fining alarm companies for false alarms generated by a customer and through no fault of the alarm system’s contractor.

“This bill has wider implications than for just our industry,” said John Loud, Vice President of Electronic Security Association (ESA) and President of LOUD Security Systems. “The concept of fining a company for a problem caused by its customers is the equivalent of sending someone’s speeding ticket to Ford and sets a precedent that could be a threat to many industries.”

“These policies do little to change user behavior, deny the user the right to confront their accuser and access to due process, and fines an innocent party for the actions of another,” said Stan Martin, Executive Director of the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC).

The introduction of the legislation follows a bitter three-year fight after the City of Sandy Springs passed a punitive ordinance that fined alarm companies. The city’s success in defending the legislation in court caused the legislature to act. Only one other Georgia city, Brookhaven, followed Sandy Springs’ lead.

A number of other states have passed bills similar to the Georgia bill in recent years including California, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Tennessee and Iowa.

“There has never been any evidence that fining alarm companies was any more effective than the model alarm ordinance that is widely utilized nationally and endorsed by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police,” said Martin.

“The model ordinance, which fines alarm users, obtains an average 60% reduction in false dispatches and impacts those causing most of the problems. In fact, 85% of alarm systems generate no calls to the police in any given year.”

Under the law companies are responsible for false alarms they cause due to faulty equipment or installation or failure to use a mandated system requiring two calls to an alarm site before notifying police.

“Common sense prevailed,” said Loud. “Our industry stands ready to work with any community that wishes to reduce unnecessary dispatches with a proven model and experts ready to assist.”

Shared by: David Margulies, PRExperts

TMA Aims to Reduce False Alarms

Since its founding in 1950, TMA has worked to create and grow relationships between its members and various public safety organizations, including first responders.  Nationally law enforcement responds to millions of calls to alarm systems where no crime or attempted crime has been committed. Research in this area tells us that over 75% of these false alarm calls are attributed to end user error rather than equipment failure.

The Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) staff has worked with various jurisdictions to focus on updating the terminology that companies use to train new alarm users on how to manage their alarm systems.  Efforts in Phoenix, Arizona have reduced the number of false alarms significantly by helping users conquer their fears by using simple to understand vocabulary when explaining how their alarm systems work.  By reframing a technical manual into a language that is comfortable and straightforward, alarm users are stepping up.

Examples include moving from “arming and disarming your system” to “turning your system on and off” and “your home” instead of “the premises or protected property” and providing tips such as adding the alarm company to a customer’s cell phone contact list and having the customer use their cell phone as the primary contact number.

TMA, along with SIAC, law enforcement and member volunteers, created this course to help our member companies educate customers on how to use alarm systems responsibly: “2019 False Alarm Impact Awareness Training: How You Can Prevent False Alarms.” This 30-minute narrated customer training helps alarm owners identify the most common mistakes they make and how to avoid them.

The bottom line is false alarms cost you, your customers, and your community money and resources. Once customers are comfortable with their alarm systems, they will avoid false alarms and maximize their security investment.

Included in the review are how alarm systems work and what your customers can do to avoid mistakes that cause false alarms.

By avoiding false alarms, users will be able to get the most out of their alarm systems and not worry about fines or suspension of services.  Your customers can rest easy knowing that when unexpected emergencies occur, their alarm company is there to respond to any alarms generated from their systems.

As more homes become automated in the era of The Smart Home, more people are including alarm systems as part of their connected space.  Parks Associates recently reported in their May 2019 newsletter that professional installation continues to be the dominant choice for home security systems, but self-installation experienced strong growth in 2017 and 2018.   Self-installed DIY security systems are increasing as systems are set up to interact with the user through a mobile device or a computer.

False alarm reduction is everyone’s responsibility. By setting up easy to follow steps, and reinforcing communication with the monitoring center, everyone can benefit from protecting their home and avoiding false alarms.

For more information, contact education@tma.us.

 

TMA Intoduces New False Alarm Reduction Program

TMA and the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) are pleased to announce the availability of a newly-created false alarm course developed to help TMA member companies educate customers on how to use alarm systems responsibly.

Studies have shown that alarm user error is the main cause of false alarms, rather than equipment failure. The bottom line is false alarms cost you, your customers, and your community money and resources. Once customers are comfortable with their alarm systems, they will avoid false alarms and maximize their security investment.

This course will review how alarm systems work and what you can do to avoid mistakes that cause false alarms.

By avoiding false alarms, customers will be able to get the most out of their alarm systems and not worry about fines or suspension of services.  Customers can rest easy knowing that when unexpected emergencies occur, their alarm company is there to respond to any alarms generated from their systems.

LEARN MORE