---
title: Why it’s Important to Authenticate Security Breaches with Verified Alarms
description: Conventional alarm systems are unable to verify what is causing your alarm to go off without first going to the property. As a result, you will not know what level of attention is needed to correct the issue. Conventional alarms are simply nowhere near as good as verified alarms. Here's why.
image: https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hubfs/Sonitrol_Verified_not_conventional.jpg
---

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

[Categories](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/why-its-important-to-authenticate-security-breaches-with-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)

# Why it’s Important to Authenticate Security Breaches with 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)

September 11, 2018

![A conventional CCTV alarm system](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sonitrol_Verified_not_conventional.jpg?width=800&name=Sonitrol_Verified_not_conventional.jpg)

With conventional alarm systems, you are unable to verify what is causing your alarm to go off without first going to the property. As a result, you will not know what level of attention is needed to correct the issue.

Conventional alarms are simply nowhere near as good as a [verified security solution](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/sonitrol-verified-alarms-vs-conventional-alarms). 

Is it something that can wait until tomorrow, such as a motion sensor being triggered by a balloon that got left behind after an office party? Do you need to return to the office to secure a door that was not properly closed? Or do you need to have the police search the property for an intruder?

There’s a high chance with a conventional alarm system most business owners will send employees to respond to an alarm - this is dangerous. What will they do if they find a criminal on the premise, and what happens if the employee is injured or worse? This would result in severe liability issues for your business.

Repeatedly responding to false alarms can be time consuming and costly for those involved, and police are often reluctant to dispatch officers due to a large number of these alarms resulting in wasted time.

In fact, police on most occasion do not dispatch officers to conventional alarms at all. That is why knowing whether an alarm needs immediate attention is critical.

False alarms put avoidable pressure on you, emergency dispatchers and the authorities, and with 94 to 98 per cent of all conventional alarm activations being false, the need for a better solution is becoming imperative for business owners.

That is where [verified security systems](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/free-commercial-security-plan) come in.

### Sonitrol Verified Alarms vs conventional alarm systems

 

Unlike conventional alarms, [Sonitrol Western Canada’s](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/) verified audio and [video security solutions](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/video-cctv-camera-surveillance-monitoring) enable professional alarm operators to hear and see what is happening in your business, allowing them to verify the source of the alarm.

This assists the [central monitoring operators](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/central-video-cctv-audio-monitoring) in minimizing the rate of false alarms and, when a crime is actually occurring, it allows them to contact the authorities as quickly as possible. This increases the rate of apprehension and minimizes the likelihood of the perpetrator gaining entry and committing a costly crime.

Without verification of the alarm, it can take police upwards of 45 minutes to respond. While a private security guard can verify the alarm, they are costly, and this approach still can result in delays averaging 17 minutes.

With verified audio and/or video electronic surveillance, this time is cut down substantially. In fact, with Sonitrol Western Canada, the average response time of authorities is just 3.5 minutes.

Sonitrol Western Canada is renowned for helping law enforcement identify true security events.

This is increasingly important as more and more communities adopt verified video surveillance response policies, which often state that police will respond to an alarm only if it can first be verified through audio or video or by an eyewitness.

Couple this with a false alarm rate of just 3 per cent and the partnerships Sonitrol Western Canada has built with local police and it is no surprise that authorities across Western Canada hurry to Sonitrol alarms.

For more information on how Sonitrol Western Canada can transform your security solution, [contact us today](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/contact-sonitrol-western-canada)!

[![Get A Free Security Plan For Your Business!](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/325814/477f2c49-27bd-41c9-8426-a421df402b25.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/325814/477f2c49-27bd-41c9-8426-a421df402b25)

**Tags: **

[Verified Security Alarms](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/verified-security-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)

Post by [Joe Wilson](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/author/joe-wilson)  
 September 11, 2018

 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

##### [![What Your AI Camera Can't See: Commercial Security Systems in 2026](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Security%20in%202026%20Whats%20Changed%2c%20What%20Hasnt%2c%20and%20What%20Your%20Business%20Actually%20Needs%20Blog%20Post.png?width=520&height=294&name=Security%20in%202026%20Whats%20Changed%2c%20What%20Hasnt%2c%20and%20What%20Your%20Business%20Actually%20Needs%20Blog%20Post.png) Verified Video Surveillance • June 05, 2026 What Your AI Camera Can't See: Commercial Security Systems in 2026 8 min read](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/what-your-ai-camera-cant-see-commercial-security-systems-2026)

##### [![Are Business Alarm Systems Worth it? A Risk-Based Breakdown](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sonitrol%20(2)-1.png?width=520&height=294&name=Sonitrol%20(2)-1.png) Verified Video Surveillance • March 23, 2026 Are Business Alarm Systems Worth it? A Risk-Based Breakdown 4 min read](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/hs-fs/hubfs/Sonitrol%20(1).png?width=520&height=294&name=Sonitrol%20(1).png) Commercial Security • March 16, 2026 Why Businesses Switch to Sonitrol Verified Security 5 min read](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/why-businesses-switch-to-sonitrol-verified-security)

### 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)