Don't Buy Conventional Alarms That Have A 98% False Alarm Rate

by Joe Wilson

April 17, 2014

Sonitrol_Verified_Alarms_False_Alarm_Rate_of_only_3 Conventional alarms have a 98% false alarm rate, so why would anyone buy a conventional security system with a motion sensor and a door contact alarm to protect their business? The Police won't even respond!

To combat the high volume of unnecessary false alarms created by conventional alarm systems and in an effort to raise awareness of the wasted law enforcement resources, many cities and provinces across Canada have been implementing two different types of false alarm prevention programs:

False Alarm Fine - A penalty between $100 and $500 per event is assessed to a business or residence (not the conventional alarm company) and is issued to users with repeated false alarm responses to a specific property over a period of time. Beyond a fine, this can even lead to placement on a “No Response” list by law enforcement.

Verified Response – New municipal laws now being enforced by many cities require an alarm call to be verified first, either by audio or video, before law enforcement is dispatched. This is exactly the solution Sonitrol has been providing for over 50 years because we care about properly protecting our clients and best utilizing police resources. We will not sell conventional alarms because we think they are wrong.

Because conventional alarm companies know they have a Police response problem, they have suggested some solutions to help get a Police response and to try and eliminate false alarms ... but these "solutions" are lame and really don't work.

Here is the big idea that conventional alarm companies have proposed:

Create a new alarm level called - Enhanced Call Verification - which means the security company has to telephone call around multiple keyholders to confirm they really want a police dispatch. Of course it can be difficult to contact keyholders, and many keyholders don't want to go out to the property to see if its being burgled, so the Police don't get dispatched anyway (although police probably won’t respond to a enhanced call verification anyway without the crime being verified).

Additionally, conventional alarm companies have come up with some "really" basic recommendations on how false alarms can be greatly reduced or even eliminated:

1. Make sure the security system provider’s central monitoring station has current contact information so that the correct and timely notifications can be made. Really?

2. If the security system has motion sensors, keep pets out of the area of protection to prevent unintentional activation of the system. Really? Motion detectors are one of the most problematic devices in security systems today. (Our Sonitrol Security’s VERIFIED Audio and Video solutions eliminate the guess work and subsequent false alarms that accompany the use of motion sensors as we can remotely see and hear the intruder or the reason for the alarm.)

3. Make sure the perimeter security of the protected facility is maintained, such as repairing loose fitting doors and overhead doors that do not seal properly. Be sure all doors and windows are locked when the facility is closed. Really ... you have to keep doors and windows locked?

4. Be sure that all users are trained on how to arm and disarm the system, as well as how to call and cancel an unintentional alarm. Really? Our Sonitrol verified burglar alarms provides additional training whenever required, to ensure maximum efficiency and protection from their systems.

5. Make sure that exit and entry delay times allow enough time to exit the premises when arming the system and enough time to disarm upon entry. Really?

6. Keep the system properly maintained. Obsolete or malfunctioning equipment will add to the false alarm problem. Really? Our Sonitrol security system maintenance program is second to none, we will not lt your security system fail.

Really? ... Why not simply purchase a Sonitrol security system that will always verify the alarm? Because a verified alarm systems have a 3% false alarm rate, it gets a prioritized police response, and we have over 170,000 police captures since we started counting in 1980.

This is our Sonitrol promise - We simply will not under protect you, or sell you conventional alarm equipment that is not verified. Nor will we suggest stupid ideas, as listed above, to reduce false alarms while continuing to sell equipment that creates false alarms.

Sonitrol Western Canada, with its VERIFIED Electronic Security Solution is committed to providing customers with the most comprehensive security protection.

Cooperation in the elimination of false alarms is not only beneficial to the system’s user, but results in better protection of the entire community by allowing law enforcement to use their resources as efficiently as possible.

About Sonitrol Western Canada:

We're so confident in our technology and responsive service, that no one else in the industry can match our guarantee. Our unique verified audio and video business security solutions enable our operators to hear and see what is happening in your business before the criminals gain entry!! We verify the actual source of the alarm, and we get the police to attend the scene immediately. FOR A FREE SECURITY AUDIT, click here, or call 1-866-766-4876.

Tags:

CCTV Video Surveillance, Verified Security Alarms, Prevent False Alarms

Post by Joe Wilson
April 17, 2014

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!