False alarms may not seem like a big deal. After all, a false alarm is better than an actual break in, right? Well yes and no.
This article from SecuritySales.com explains just how disruptive false alarms can be.
Of course a real crimes is always the worst-case scenario. But last year in Hastings, Minnesota alone, more than 600 security systems falsely announced break-ins, meaning police officers took more than 600 useless trips to business – instead of spending that time doing truly meaningful police work.
Only 26% of these incidents were directly connected to equipment malfunctions. 63% were caused by human error – improper arming or disarming procedures.
So the real question becomes, how do we minimize these false alarms?
One solution is “alarm verification,” which is where the central monitoring station (CMS) calls the premises before dispatching police officers to the scene. If there is no answer, then the operator will dial police dispatch to send help. If the owner is there, picks up the phone and provides their secret passcode, the CMS operator will not do anything.
This method has reduced unnecessary dispatches by 75%.
A second method, “enhanced verification,” involves multiple phone calls and can reduce unnecessary dispatches by an additional 60%.
A third method, “video verification,” provides CMS operators with a video feed from the premises to verify whether anyone is there or not, further reducing unnecessary dispatches.
In the end, these simple solutions can keep our police officers from answering time-wasting false alarms, meaning they will have more time to patrol the streets and actually fight crime.
For any questions about Curbing False Alarms, simply contact ARK Systems at 1-800-995-0189 or click here today.