SIAC hopes to see an Alarm Management Committee (AMC) in Utah. We approached the Utah Chiefs of Police Association in late November to see if they would be interested, and they are seeking information to make a decision.
Across the country, we have worked with police chiefs in 13 states to form similar committees, with positive results in developing statewide cooperative approaches to better manage alarms. The AMC has been proposed to five other states.
In Georgia, for example, we have been involved with the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP), primarily through Glen Mowrey. Glen is one of the most well-respected law enforcement professionals in the country, and he has worked closely with the state for 15 years.
That type of relationship is what we envision in Utah. These committees are set up to bring law enforcement and the security industry together to find collaborative solutions. We help set up the AMC, and share information so they can develop, implement and enforce measures to reduce unnecessary alarm activations. Three members of law enforcement and three from the security industry serve on each committee.
What are some of the solutions we’ve seen? Requiring two calls by the monitoring center before requesting law enforcement response is one example. This is state law in six states. This measure alone has demonstrated an effectiveness rate of reducing those unwanted dispatches by over 60 percent. That helps the police, alarm owners and the security industry. We all benefit in the long run. It’s why there is support for the AMC’s.
The SIAC model ordinance is reviewed by the AMC and adopted at a state level. This greatly assists other law enforcement jurisdictions in their respective state.
SIAC shares other successful provisions as well that have been adopted by various AMC’s across the United States: Mandatory alarm permits; an escalating fine system; an end to dispatch after a set number of false dispatches. Each of these provisions, properly enforced, contributes to further reductions in those unnecessary alarm activations.
We hope Utah joins us in moving down this path. It’s a triple win.