---
title: CCTV Versus Verified Alarms
description: Businesses often believe that traditional CCTV cameras are the perfect security solution to protect their assets from both internal and external crime. Unfortunately, the truth is that CCTV security solutions are ineffective.
image: https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hubfs/CCTV%20VS%20Verified.jpg
---

[Blog](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog)

[Categories](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/cctv-versus-verified-alarms#)

- [Verified Security Alarms](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/verified-security-alarms)
- [Commercial Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/commercial-security)
- [CCTV Video Surveillance](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/cctv-video-surveillance)
- [Retail Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/retail-security)
- [Security Tips](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-tips)
- [Building Access Control](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/building-access-control)
- [Office Workplace Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/office-workplace-security)
- [Verified Video Surveillance](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/verified-video-surveillance)
- [SonaVision Online Monitoring](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/sonavision-online-monitoring)
- [Prevent False Alarms](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/prevent-false-alarms)
- [Verified Alarms](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/verified-alarms)
- [Security for Construction Sites](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-for-construction-sites)
- [Construction Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/construction-security)
- [Office Building Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/office-building-security)
- [Security for Auto Dealerships](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-for-auto-dealerships)
- [Restaurant Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/restaurant-security)
- [Monitored Audio Alarms](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/monitored-audio-alarms)
- [CCTV](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/cctv)
- [Pharmacy and Drug Store Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/pharmacy-and-drug-store-security)
- [Security Audit](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-audit)
- [Small Business Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/small-business-security)
- [Managed Access Control](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/managed-access-control)
- [Prevent Copper Theft](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/prevent-copper-theft)
- [Security for Fenced Compounds](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-for-fenced-compounds)
- [False Alarms](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/false-alarms)
- [Police Response to Sonitrol](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/police-response-to-sonitrol)
- [Security for Marijuana Grow-Ops](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-for-marijuana-grow-ops)
- [Crime Prevention Tips](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/crime-prevention-tips)
- [Security Systems for Schools](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-systems-for-schools)
- [CCTV Versus Sonavision](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/cctv-versus-sonavision)
- [School Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/school-security)
- [Security for Pharmacies](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-for-pharmacies)
- [Security for Warehouses & Manufacturing](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-for-warehouses-manufacturing)
- [Fenced Compounds](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/fenced-compounds)
- [Government Building Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/government-building-security)
- [Business Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/business-security)
- [Keyless Entry](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/keyless-entry)
- [Police Response Times](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/police-response-times)
- [Professional Office Seccurity](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/professional-office-seccurity)
- [Security for Place of Worship](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-for-place-of-worship)
- [SonaVision](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/sonavision)
- [Automotive](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/automotive)
- [Dealerships](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/dealerships)
- [Keyless Access Control](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/keyless-access-control)
- [Retail](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/retail)
- [Verified Reponse](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/verified-reponse)
- [Copper Theft](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/copper-theft)
- [Surveillance](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/surveillance)
- [Workplace security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/workplace-security)
- [vandalism](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/vandalism)
- [Access Control](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/access-control)
- [Audio Intrusion](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/audio-intrusion)
- [Equipment](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/equipment)
- [Financial Institutions](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/financial-institutions)
- [Legal Marijuana Grow-Op Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/legal-marijuana-grow-op-security)
- [Offices](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/offices)
- [Place of Worship](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/place-of-worship)
- [commercial security audit](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/commercial-security-audit)
- [Cannabis Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/cannabis-security)
- [Church](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/church)
- [Criminal Apprehension](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/criminal-apprehension)
- [Guaranteed Commercial Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/guaranteed-commercial-security)
- [Restaurants](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/restaurants)
- [employee theft](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/employee-theft)
- [Construction](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/construction)
- [False Alarm Permits](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/false-alarm-permits)
- [Fraud](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/fraud)
- [Government Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/government-security)
- [Technology](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/technology)
- [criminal captures](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/criminal-captures)
- [education](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/education)

# CCTV Versus Verified Alarms

![Joe Wilson](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2024%20Website/Images/joe-blog-avatar.png?width=50&height=50&name=joe-blog-avatar.png)

 by [Joe Wilson](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/author/joe-wilson)

February 11, 2021

[![CCTV VS Verified](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CCTV%20VS%20Verified.jpg?width=1200&name=CCTV%20VS%20Verified.jpg)Successful security systems](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/sonitrol-sonavision-video-monitoring-cctv-surveillance) are increasingly reliant on advances in technology and software, and these innovations are helping organizations to ensure they properly protect their people and their assets.

Yet, despite this, many organizations are still using traditional CCTV cameras to secure their premises. This technology is not only outdated, it’s simply no longer up to the task of securing your property.

Businesses often believe that traditional CCTV cameras are the perfect security solution to protect their assets from both internal and external crime. Unfortunately, the truth is that CCTV security solutions are ineffective.

That’s because:

- CCTV cameras only record a crime; they don’t stop it from happening.
- CCTV solutions typically aren’t customized for your company’s needs.
- CCTV doesn’t deter criminals from targeting your property.

That’s why your organization should consider investing in a [verified security alarm](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/sonitrol-verified-alarms-vs-conventional-alarms) - a solution that actually protects both your people and your assets. In this blog, we will take a look at what a verified security solution actually is and why it’s a far better choice than CCTV.

**What is a verified security alarm?**

Sonitrol has designed an innovative verified alarm system that uses state-of-the-art technology to detect criminal threats on your organization’s premises. Unlike CCTV, once a threat is detected, a security expert located in a [24/7 central monitoring station](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/central-video-cctv-audio-monitoring) is able to verify the threat is real.

Once this expert verifies the alarm, the police are notified immediately, and the responding officers are provided with real-time information on where the criminal is and what they are doing.

If it’s a false alarm, which is often the case for CCTV alarms and the main reasons why police take so long to respond to them, [Sonitrol Western Canada](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/) simply resets the system without bothering either your organization or the police. 

**4 reasons verified alarms are better than CCTV**

**#1 - Significantly faster police response times**

Since Sonitrol’s alarm systems are verified, and police have all the information they need to know exactly what they are showing up to, police departments trust verified alarms. That means they dispatch responding teams significantly faster than they would to a CCTV alarm. In fact, police have an average dispatch time of just 3-4 minutes for verified alarms, compared to an average of 45 minutes for traditional CCTV alarms.

It’s for this reason that Sonitrol has the highest documented apprehension rate over any other security system, with more than 188,000 criminals caught red-handed since 1977. 

**#2 - You don’t have to worry about false alarms **

Traditional CCTV has no ability to verify alarms, meaning something as simple as an employee coming back into the building to grab an item they have left behind or a raccoon rummaging around the property could send the alarm off, and nobody would know if a true crime is taking place. The average security system has a false alarm rate of 98 percent.

By verifying whether a threat is genuinely real, Sonitrol’s verified alarms have the lowest false alarm rate in the industry.

**#3 - Verified alarms will deter criminals before they even commit a crime**

Criminals are not deterred by CCTV alarms. In fact, a criminal who sees a property with a CCTV alarm system will know that it’s unlikely anyone is watching them commit the crime in progress. They know that all they need to do is wear a disguise, and they will have enough time to get out of there before the police arrive. 

When it comes to Sonitrol verified alarms, however, criminals know the name. They know we have helped police apprehend more than 188,000 criminals since 1977, and they actively stay away from organizations that display our technology. 

**#4 - Verified video can be customized for your organization’s unique needs**

Traditional CCTV alarms are typically placed around your company’s facility in the hope they catch a criminal. These companies don’t actually take the time to evaluate your premises and analyze your actual security needs. 

Verified video is different. These are security experts who genuinely care about securing your company from both internal and external threats. That’s why a security expert will visit your premises and design a verified alarm solution for the unique needs of your property. 

Do you want to learn more about Sonitrol’s verified alarm systems and how we can create a security system that is unique to the needs of your organization? [Contact our team of security experts today for a free consultation](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/free-commercial-security-plan-for-your-business-is-your-cctv-system-working-and-is-your-business-secure?hsCtaTracking=b5b346e4-5871-4b70-b0e6-510281721a07%7C147041ff-652b-417b-97f5-62810633fefd). 

[![Myths about alarms and security companies](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/325814/11fb88e7-5c34-439a-86b3-88fb54afdbfc.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/325814/11fb88e7-5c34-439a-86b3-88fb54afdbfc)

**Tags: **

[CCTV Versus Sonavision](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/cctv-versus-sonavision)

![Joe Wilson](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2024%20Website/Images/joe-blog-avatar.png?width=50&height=50&name=joe-blog-avatar.png)

Post by [Joe Wilson](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/author/joe-wilson)  
 February 11, 2021

 We provide our customers with the best commercial security solutions and quality service backed by our unique Guarantee and Commitment to Service. It's something unverified conventional alarm companies simply cannot guarantee!

### Related Articles

##### [![How to Stop Break-Ins at Commercial Properties and Why Most Businesses Are Getting It Wrong](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Images/How%20to%20Stop%20Break-Ins%20at%20Commercial%20Properties%20and%20Why%20Most%20Businesses%20Are%20Getting%20It%20Wrong.jpg?width=520&height=294&name=How%20to%20Stop%20Break-Ins%20at%20Commercial%20Properties%20and%20Why%20Most%20Businesses%20Are%20Getting%20It%20Wrong.jpg) Verified Video Surveillance • April 27, 2026 How to Stop Break-Ins at Commercial Properties and Why Most Businesses Are Getting It Wrong 8 min read](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/how-to-stop-break-ins-at-commercial-properties-and-why-most-businesses-are-getting-it-wrong)

##### [![Garda $30 Million Heist - 3 Ways Sonavision Could Have Stopped the Crime](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Garda.jpeg?width=520&height=294&name=Garda.jpeg) Commercial Security • April 04, 2024 Garda $30 Million Heist - 3 Ways Sonavision Could Have Stopped the Crime 2 min read](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/garda-30-million-heist-3-ways-sonavision-could-have-stopped-the-crime)

##### [![Debunking Common Misconceptions About Surveillance Systems](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2023/Surveiliance.png?width=520&height=294&name=Surveiliance.png) CCTV Versus Sonavision • September 27, 2023 Debunking Common Misconceptions About Surveillance Systems 3 min read](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/debunking-common-misconceptions-about-surveillance-systems)

### Subscribe to Sonitrol Blog Updates

Stay up to date with the industry's leading news, products and information.

###### Recent Posts

- [What Your AI Camera Can't See: Commercial Security Systems in 2026](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/what-your-ai-camera-cant-see-commercial-security-systems-2026)
- [How to Stop Break-Ins at Commercial Properties and Why Most Businesses Are Getting It Wrong](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/how-to-stop-break-ins-at-commercial-properties-and-why-most-businesses-are-getting-it-wrong)
- [Are Business Alarm Systems Worth it? A Risk-Based Breakdown](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/are-business-alarm-systems-worth-it-a-risk-based-breakdown)
- [Why Businesses Switch to Sonitrol Verified Security](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/why-businesses-switch-to-sonitrol-verified-security)
- [Why Every Business Should Get a Commercial Security Audit Before Choosing a System](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/why-every-business-should-get-a-commercial-security-audit-before-choosing-a-system)

![sonitrol-guide](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2024%20Website/Images/sonitrol-guide.png?width=219&height=200&name=sonitrol-guide.png)

##### Learn what the competition isn't telling you about commercial security systems

Become a more informed security system buyer, as this guide explains in detail why conventional alarms are ineffective, and could make your business vulnerable to theft and robbery.

[Download Guide](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/25-misconceptions-about-commercial-alarm-systems-and-problems-with-conventional-cctv-alarms)

![book-light (2)](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hubfs/2024%20Website/Images/book-light%20(2).svg) ![book-light (2)](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hubfs/2024%20Website/Images/book-light%20(2).svg)

Free eBook: Learn What The Competition Isn't Telling You About Commercial Security Systems

#### There are lots of problems with conventional, commercial security alarm systems that you need to know about.

Become a more informed security system buyer, as this guide explains in detail why conventional alarms are ineffective and could make your business vulnerable to theft and robbery.

[![Read the Free Guide](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/325814/74f580dc-96d9-4e5a-bd7c-ff3d4a60f554.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/325814/74f580dc-96d9-4e5a-bd7c-ff3d4a60f554)