The volume of criminal acts puts pressure on all of us, from average citizens to business owners to law enforcement and criminal justice officials.

Responding to legitimate emergency calls demands a great deal of law enforcement resources. Unfortunately, many times police and sheriff departments also have to respond to false alarm calls that are made in error.

The number of false alarm calls to emergency services has a tremendous impact on law enforcement agencies. The time and labor involved in responding to a false alarm often takes 911 operators and police officers away from actual emergencies.

Why So Many False Alarm Calls?

Automated burglar alarm systems are programmed to call the local emergency response number. Unfortunately, a lot of things can trigger a burglar alarm, and the cause is not always a burglar.

Known false triggers are pets, wild animals, and even garbage cans and other objects being blown around by the wind. Sometimes the alarm is even set off by the home or business owner after they’ve entered the wrong security code.

The number of false alarms initiated by alarm systems has reached an unbearable high in Fulton County, GA.

According to Sandy Springs emergency response officials, 99% of 911 calls from burglar alarms are false. Those false alarms account for 17% of all 911 calls in the area.

These numbers may not be unique to the Sandy Springs area, but the local response was unprecedented.

Effective June 19, police will no longer respond to burglar alarms that are not verified by video, audio or in-person evidence that a crime is in progress. Companies whose systems cause repeated false alarms could be fined.

While this ordinance is strict, it’s not the first time that lawmakers have tried to make sure calls are verified before police respond. Since 2013, alarm companies have been required to call two phone numbers to try to verify the alarm before contacting police. Even with this requirement, the majority of burglar alarm system calls are still false alarms.

According to Sandy Springs Police Chief Ken DiSimone, false burglar alarm calls are such a concern for law enforcement agencies nationwide that he’s getting calls from officials who want to enact similar ordinances.

What This Means for Businesses with Traditional Alarm Systems

It’s been true for a while that burglar alarms alone will not always bring the immediate police response that many people expect. With other agencies around the country expressing interest in this type of ordinance, businesses may have to reconsider their choice of security systems. Chief DiSimone stated that by the time alarm companies are able to notify police of legitimate burglary calls, the crime has often already been completed and the culprit is gone before the police arrive.

Clearly, sensor-only systems have their drawbacks. If laws like the one in Sandy Springs are passed in other areas, businesses nationwide may be required to switch to security solutions that are less likely to trigger false alarms.

On-site guard is a possible answer for businesses, but there are still concerns:

• Expense: The cost of hiring an on-site guard or security team can get costly very quickly.
• Quality of Training: There is no national standard for security guard training, and there is no guarantee of quality or skill.
• Fatigue: Security guards are human and like the rest of us, they have good days and bad days.
• Safety and Liability: If the guard is involved in a confrontation and is injured, your business could be held liable for the guard’s injuries.

NVMC Solutions is the Best Alternative

NVMC’s specially trained live agents provide live remote video monitoring for your business. Unlike alert-based security systems, our agents can visually confirm whether there is an intruder or if a crime is taking place. Unlike on-site guards, our agents are not exposed to the risk of injury. The key to our quality and efficiency is our SmartViewPlus™ system. It begins with the high-quality video surveillance equipment that we install at your site. When this technical sophistication is combined with our employees’ skill and expertise, we can provide the watchfulness that your business needs with the accuracy that police departments expect.

Other Benefits of our Service Include:

• Cost-effectiveness. Our system is 75% cheaper than on-site guards.
• Round-the-clock security. We provide 24/7 monitoring so we’re always on the job.
• Quick action. Response times are 10% faster than our competition.
• Insurance savings. Maintain low premiums because you have a monitored security system.

At NVMC, we are dedicated to providing the best possible security solutions for our customers. If you’d like to see how we can help you, contact us.