Whatever technology — mechanical key switches, wall keypad remote, wireless remotes, key fobs, touch-sensitive keypads, cell phone applications, interactive SMS text messaging, cellular/WiFi geo-mapping, presence detection, bio-metrics — we need designers, engineering, marketing and sales people to always consider the impact on how that technology can impact/reduce unnecessary alarm dispatches.
This can also mean limiting features that are too easy to activate for dispatch, such as a single button/touch icon that is labeled “for immediate police dispatch.” As a general rule of thumb, some timely two-way communication protocols should always be incorporated to ensure the customer requesting a dispatch can confirm the need for the law enforcement before the request can be processed.
At SIAC we are always concerned when we see advertising that directly states or implies “immediate police response” or claims to be the “preferred system recommended by law enforcement.” Having a close working relationship with national, state and local law enforcement leaders for over 20 years, we can emphatically state that no company can make these claims that apply universally across all 18,000 agencies.
Being truthful with advertising is the best policy.