TMA Mourns the Passing of Past President Bob Bean

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TMA learned of the passing of it much beloved Past President Robert Bean on Friday, November 21st. He leaves a lasting legacy as a business leader whose generosity uplifted colleagues, inspired innovation, and opened doors for others. His unwavering commitment to serving his community reflects a life defined not just by success, but by the positive impact he made on everyone around him.

In presenting Bob with one of TMA’s highest honors, the Stanley C. Lott Memorial Award, in 2021, then President Don Young, commented, “Two words that epitomized Stan Lott’s character are integrity and dedication. These words, likewise, can be attributed to this year’s award winner today. As chair of the Membership Committee, the award winner was a driving force to increase TMA membership, including international members. Countless hours were devoted to TMA’s interests in ESX, which served as TMA’s Mid-year Meeting for a number of years. He is truly all that Stanley Lott represented.”

In accepting his award via Zoom, Bean, full of emotion, remarked, “I am humbled. This is the highest honor that TMA can bestow on any member. Putting me in the category along with the other previous honorees is definitely humbling. I thank TMA very much for this great award.”

Bean sponsored the TMA board dinner for many years, first through his company and in later years personally. During his tenure as TMA President, he purchased a home in New Jersey so he could be closer to TMA staff in Virginia.

Additional information will be shared here as it becomes available.

TMA Welcomes New Chief of Staff

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The Monitoring Association (TMA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jessica Franklin to the organization’s newly created position of Chief of Staff. An accomplished association professional with nearly 20 years of experience, Franklin’s talents span event planning, operations, and customer service. Franklin’s first day at TMA is Mon., Nov. 24th.

“I am honored to step into this pivotal new role at TMA,” commented Franklin. “This role presents an exciting opportunity to work closely with the association’s leadership and help drive the initiatives that advance TMA’s mission. I look forward to working closely with our members and stakeholders to enhance the value we deliver and to support the continued growth and impact of the association and the industry.”

TMA CEO Whitney A. Doll said, “Jessica brings a unique combination of talents and skills to our team at TMA. She is an outstanding leader who has consistently demonstrated the ability to connect with stakeholders at all levels. Her energy and commitment to service excellence will be an asset to TMA as we look to future growth.”

As Chief of Staff, Franklin will serve as a strategic advisor and thought partner to the CEO and provide cross-functional collaboration and project management. Additionally, she will lead the planning and execution of TMA meetings and events, including the Mid-Year Meeting, Annual Meeting, OPSTech, and other TMA-sponsored receptions, dinners, and events.

Franklin can be contacted by email at jfranklin@tma.us or by phone at (703) 660-4917.

TMA has an exciting new leadership opportunity!

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We’re seeking a strategic, results-oriented Director of Strategic Growth & Membership to lead our membership, sponsorship, and business development initiatives.

This highly visible role is central to driving organizational growth — expanding our membership base, deepening member engagement, and increasing non-dues revenue through sponsorships and product sales.

The ideal candidate is a confident relationship-builder with a proven track record in membership development, sales, and sponsor cultivation. We’re looking for a proactive, people-focused leader energized by the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and help shape the future of a growing association.

If you’re passionate about growth, connection, and impact — we’d love to hear from you!

View the full position description at:

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to wdoll@tma.us.

Alan Gillmore, IV Assumes Presidency of The Monitoring Association

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The Monitoring Association (TMA) is proud to announce that Alan Gillmore, IV, President of Gillmore Security, has been appointed as TMA’s 38th President. Gillmore assumed the role at the conclusion of TMA’s 75th Anniversary Annual Meeting, held on Wednesday, October 8th, 2025, in Palm Springs, California.

A long-time volunteer and dedicated leader within TMA, Gillmore has served in numerous leadership capacities over the years, most recently as Co-Chair of the Membership Committee. His commitment to member engagement, innovation, and industry advancement has made a lasting impact on the association and its initiatives.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to be chosen to lead TMA’s growth, innovation, and collaboration efforts over the next two years,” said Gillmore. “TMA is the industry leader in education, standards development, and thought leadership. I am eager to advance these areas while finding new avenues for growth and modernization. I look forward to working with the TMA Board and staff to continue our legacy of excellence and support our great industry, which has given us all so much.”

Outgoing TMA President Steve Butkovich praised Gillmore’s leadership and vision, noting his long-standing dedication to the association and the industry at large.

“Alan’s deep understanding of our industry and his proven leadership within TMA make him the ideal person to guide our association into the future,” said Butkovich. “His strategic mindset and collaborative spirit will undoubtedly take TMA to new heights as we continue to evolve and serve our members in an ever-changing environment.”

As President, Gillmore will focus on advancing TMA’s mission and strengthening its role as a thought leader in the monitoring and security industry. His priorities for the coming term include:

  • Membership growth and expansion, including outreach into new vertical markets
  • Supporting and expanding the ASAP Service initiative
  • Enhancing collaboration and alignment with other industry associations
  • Driving standards development and promoting adoption of existing standards such as AVS-01
  • Fostering thought leadership and education to help the industry navigate a rapidly changing landscape

Learn more about President Gillmore and his vision for TMA in the next issue of TMA Dispatch.

Hertel, Martini, and Prendergast honored with top TMA Awards at 75th Anniversary Annual Meeting

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TMA President Steve Butkovich honored the outstanding contributions of three individuals last week in at the 2025 TMA 75th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Palm Springs, CA.

On Mon., Oct. 6th, at the General Membership Meeting, Butkovich presented the 2025 Stanley C. Lott Memorial Award to AICC legal counsel John Prendergast, managing partner, Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens & Prendergast, LLP, in recognition of his unwavering advocacy efforts on behalf of AICC and TMA members. The Stanley C. Lott Memorial Award, established in 1991 to honor its namesake, a dedicated leader and past president, recognizes exceptional long-term TMA leadership and support.

Prendergast expressed his gratitude for the recognition, stating, “I am deeply honored to win the Stan Lott award, especially given the outstanding people that have won it before me; and I have been privileged to have worked with all of the dedicated and professional TMA members and staff, past and present, that have made representing the alarm industry so rewarding.”

Also presented at the General Business Meeting, former APCO President Stephen Martini, ENP. CPE, director, Metro Nashville Dept. of Emergency Communications, received the 2025 Public Sector Award. This special honor, established in 2015, is presented by TMA to a public safety professional whose contributions have supported the monitoring industry’s mission to protect and save life and property. Martini has been a longtime champion for TMA’s ASAP Service.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this recognition. The work TMA is doing with the ASAP Program is saving time, saving lives, and reducing workloads on emergency communications professionals,” said Martini. “This commitment to the public we serve and the professionals we depend on to carry out this no-fail mission is critical to the success of public safety response for the next decade.”

On Wed., Oct. 8th, at the closing Gala Dinner, Butkovich presented the 2025 Mel Mahler Award to Morgan Hertel, Rapid Response Monitoring Services Inc. The Mel Mahler Award is presented at the discretion of the TMA president in recognition of outstanding contributions within his/her tenure. Hertel has served as a volunteer leader for decades, contributing his knowledge, experience, and expertise to the TMA community.

“Thank you. I am truly honored to receive this recognition. I have always believed that active participation in our industry associations is not just beneficial, but essential for our collective success,” shared Hertel. “The Monitoring Association is, without a doubt, the most important organization in our industry. This achievement is not mine alone. It is built upon the foundation laid by those who came before me, and it is shared with the dedicated leaders who will follow. It is through this collaborative spirit that we are able to achieve such meaningful results.”

Stark County, Ohio, Deploys ASAP Service Across Multiple Emergency Communications Centers to Reduce Alarm-Notification Delays

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New Research Shows Flawed Spectrum Proposal Would Cause Public Safety Risks, Communications Disruption

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A new research report, filed by the Security Industry Association (SIA) with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), details the risks of a proposal under consideration by the FCC that would restructure portions of the Lower 900 MHz band, which is used by billions of unlicensed, low-power devices.

NextNav has petitioned the FCC to reconfigure the frequencies between 902-928 MHz (the Lower 900 MHz Band) and grant the company a nationwide license for 15 megahertz of spectrum so it can establish a 5G terrestrial-based position, navigation and timing network—radically altering the spectrum. The new research conducted by engineering consulting firm Pericle Communications Company, commissioned by SIA and with additional support from the Alarm Industry Communications Committee, the Electronic Security Association (ESA) and The Monitoring Association (TMA), shows that the proposal would severely limit the range and compromise the effectiveness of devices operating in this spectrum, including:

  • Panic buttons, motion sensors, carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms
  • Personal medical alert devices and emergency call buttons
  • Wireless microphones, headsets and license-free two-way radios
  • Wireless security cameras and doorbell cameras
  • Outdoor public safety and security devices, including traffic control and tolling devices, vehicle status and alerting devices and gunshot detection devices

Lower 900 MHz band is heavily used by “Part 15” security and life safety systems, smart home technology, consumer and business electronics and more devices that would face harmful interference from NextNav’s high-power usage in the band.

In addition to these public safety and security uses, other critical systems that could be disrupted include equipment that first responders use during emergencies, municipal infrastructure, railroad operations and safety, highway infrastructure, retail and supply chain operations and agriculture solutions.

“Our research modeling and simulations show that NextNav’s proposed system would render an enormous number of public safety and mission-critical devices—along with countless other devices that rely upon the Lower 900 MHz Band—inoperable,” said Michael McGinley, senior systems engineer at Pericle. “This amount of interference would simply be unacceptable due to the severe disruption it would have on the user experience and radio performance. The interference would be a direct result of the incompatibilities between NextNav’s high-power cellular network and the low-power, radio frequency devices currently operating in the band.”

“NextNav’s proposal would be detrimental to the operation of devices that are critical for our life safety and security, first responders and the public,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “This proposal would have devastating effects in many U.S. households, and make everyday life less safe, less convenient and more costly.”

“Since the proposal to the FCC was filed more than 16 months ago, the Commission has been flooded with concerns from affected companies and trade groups about the potential consequences,” said TMA President Steve Butkovich.

“The Pericle study confirms the negative impact to consumers and to public safety that would result if the petition were to be granted,” said ESA Executive Director and CEO Merlin Guilbeau.

As other concerned parties have noted, there are a variety of GPS alternatives that do not require severely disrupting existing spectrum users. While a backup GPS system is needed, these other solutions would cause much less disruption, and implementing NextNav’s proposal would present tradeoffs that are not worth the harmful impact on our nation’s safety and security and major inconveniences the proposal would cause.

The full research report can be found here. More information and resources related to the Lower 900 MHz band can be found here.

COPS Monitoring Launches ASAP to Improve Emergency Response and Reduce False Alarms

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COPS Monitoring, a leading provider of professional monitoring services in North America, proudly announces the official launch of ASAP (Automated Secure Alarm Protocol) across its network of UL-listed monitoring stations. This advanced technology enables the direct electronic transmission of alarm data to public safety answering points (PSAPs), significantly enhancing response times and accuracy.

ASAP eliminates the need for traditional phone calls to 911 centers by securely transmitting crucial alarm information, such as the type of emergency, address, and contact details, instantly and precisely. This streamlined communication accelerates dispatching public safety agencies, improves accuracy, reduces call volume at 911 centers, and minimizes the potential for miscommunication. Moreover, it enables real-time status updates between COPS and participating PSAPs, promoting enhanced collaboration between monitoring professionals and first responders.

COPS Monitoring has been a charter member and early supporter of the ASAP initiative, which was developed through a cooperative effort between The Monitoring Association (TMA) and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International. This longstanding commitment to automation and industry collaboration has played a vital role in shaping the development and success of the protocol and today marks a significant milestone in making that vision a reality.

ASAP is currently deployed in more than 150 cities across the United States, with new locations added regularly as municipalities adopt and modernize their emergency communication solutions and processes. COPS Monitoring remains actively engaged in supporting and expanding the protocol’s adoption nationwide.

Looking ahead, COPS Monitoring’s current integration with ASAP proactively lays the groundwork for future enhancements, including the secure transmission of video, audio, photos, sensor metadata, and other contextual data, all designed to improve situational awareness further and equip first responders with more actionable intelligence.

With the introduction of ASAP, COPS Monitoring continues its commitment to adopt technologies that elevate professional alarm monitoring and improve outcomes for all stakeholders. “Our launch of ASAP represents another significant investment in technology and public safety,” said Jim McMullen, President of COPS Monitoring. “By enhancing response times and the accuracy of emergency dispatches, we are not only helping to protect lives and property but also supporting the evolving needs of our dealers, their customers, and the first responders who serve our communities. We are proud to be part of this critical innovation.”

Contact David Smith at (954) 545-5708 or dsmith@copsmonitoring.com for more information.

AITX’s RAD-G Announces Security-Centric Proprietary ‘ChatGPT-Like’ Vision-Language Model for Security Industry Applications

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Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (the “Company”) (OTCID:AITX), a global leader in AI-driven security and productivity solutions for enterprise clients, along with its wholly owned subsidiary Robotic Assistance Devices Group, Inc. (RAD-G) (collectively, the “Companies”), today announced the development of a proprietary Vision-Language Model (VLM) purpose-built for security applications. Unlike off-the-shelf models such as ChatGPT, Claude and Meta’s Llama1, this VLM has been engineered in-house to deliver precise, real-time generative AI for action and analysis of visual and textual data specifically tuned for security professionals. The Company sees the need for a security-specific VLM that has greater transparency and control than the mass-market LLMs currently available.

“Security end users and manufacturers absolutely require LLMs and VLMs where they have greater control and transparency related to generative AI’s operations,” said Steve Reinharz, CEO/CTO and founder of AITX and RAD-G “After nearly a year of building the fundamental technology, we are ready to announce this effort with a prospective launch date before the end of this calendar year.”

A VLM is a type of artificial intelligence that can both “see” and “understand.” It processes images and video along with written and spoken language at the same time. In simple terms, it is the technology that lets the Company’s devices watch what is happening, interpret it in context, and then respond in methods people can easily understand.
Designed for integration and licensing, this solution provides organizations with a streamlined, high-performance tool to enhance situational awareness and drive progress across the security sector. This breakthrough follows the Company’s success with SARA™, RAD-G’s widely acclaimed agentic AI-powered video monitoring and action solution and further extends the reach of AITX’s advanced security technologies.

The Companies expect to deliver this solution to the industry at prices comparable to the current pricing structure of the major LLM service providers. As development has been underway for some time this project will be launched without adding costs to existing SG&A.

Because AITX and RAD-G have developed and own this VLM outright, the Companies can offer flexible licensing arrangements to security providers, integrators, and enterprise clients. This level of control ensures rapid adaptation to evolving security needs, streamlined integration with a variety of platforms, and the ability for partners to tailor the technology to their specific environments. By making the VLM available for licensing, the Company is enabling a new standard of intelligence, agility, and responsiveness in the security industry.
Organizations interested in bringing the RAD-G VLM to their security operations or exploring licensing opportunities are encouraged to contact the Company for more information. As the security industry continues to move forward, AITX remains focused on providing advanced solutions that create tangible results for clients, partners, and the sector as a whole.

AITX, through its primary subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), is redefining the nearly $50 billion (US) security and guarding services industry2 through its broad lineup of innovative, AI-driven Solutions-as-a-Service business model. RAD solutions are specifically designed to provide cost savings to businesses of between 35%-80% when compared to the industry’s existing and costly manned security guarding and monitoring model. RAD delivers these tremendous cost savings via a suite of stationary and mobile robotic solutions that complement, and at times, directly replace the need for human personnel in environments better suited for machines. All RAD technologies, AI-based analytics and software platforms are developed in-house.
The Company’s operations and internal controls have been validated through successful completion of its SOC 2 Type 2 audit, reinforcing the Company’s credibility with enterprise and government clients who require strict data protection and security compliance.

RAD has a prospective sales pipeline of over 35 Fortune 500 companies and numerous other client opportunities. RAD expects to continue to attract new business as it converts its existing sales opportunities into deployed clients generating a recurring revenue stream. Each Fortune 500 client has the potential of making numerous reorders over time.

Contact: Doug Clemons, Chief Marketing Officer, Robotic Assistance Devices, at (949) 769-1046 or doug.c@radsecurity.com for more information.

ASAP Service Reduces Call Handling Time by 33+ Hours a Month at Riverside, California 911 Center

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The Monitoring Association (TMA) announced that the City of Riverside, California’s Emergency Communications Center (ECC) has saved an estimated 24,462 minutes—over 33 hours a month—in 2024 alone by using TMA’s ASAP Service to process alarm and sensor notifications.

The estimate is based on an average savings of two minutes per call for 12,231 alarm notifications processed via ASAP Service in 2024, bypassing the traditional multiple voice calls required to gather dispatch and response details.

“The streamlined call-handling enabled our telecommunicators to focus more on priority 911 emergencies, which was especially beneficial during periods of high call volume,” Brandt said. “ASAP Service has been a valuable tool for our center, and I’m surprised that more agencies haven’t adopted it.”

Riverside’s ECC handles emergency calls and dispatches police, fire/rescue, and emergency medical response. In 2024, the center handled more than 756,000 calls for service. Given the large call volume, ECC officials sought a way to mitigate the impact of alarm/sensor notifications, which can require as many as five voice calls between an ECC’s telecommunicator and alarm monitoring center personnel to gather the necessary information for dispatching the appropriate response.

Consequently, the ECC implemented ASAP Service in 2023, for law enforcement-related alarm notifications, and the results have been eye-opening, according to Michelle Brandt, the city’s police/fire communications manager. In 2024, 12,231 alarm notifications were delivered directly to the center’s CAD system via the ASAP Service, dramatically reducing the number of manual phone calls between telecommunicators and alarm-monitoring center personnel.

ASAP Service was developed by TMA to lessen the impact of alarm/sensor notifications that typically enter an ECC over nonemergency administrative telephone lines. With ASAP Service in place, those notifications are automatically delivered to the ECC’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system, providing all the information needed by ECC’s telecommunicators to dispatch the appropriate emergency response. This saves approximately two minutes per call on average, a significant amount of time during emergencies when lives are at stake and every second counts.

ASAP Service leverages the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP). The protocol was developed jointly by TMA and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO). ASAP Service also leverages the Alarm Verification Scoring standard (ANSI/TMA AVS-01), which identifies five scoring levels to help telecommunicators prioritize the severity of an alarm/sensor notification.

Learn more about how TMA’s ASAP Service is saving lives every day nationwide at www.ASAP911.org.