With the annual IACP conference recently concluded in Dallas, it’s important for all of us in the security industry to remember the demands and challenges these public servants face on multiple fronts. As an industry, we play a small part through things like our model, to help law enforcement be more efficient and productive by reducing calls for their service.

There’s a broader picture across the country facing departments: retirements; officers quitting due to stress; budget cuts; an ever-demanding public. We’ve seen firsthand how some of those challenges affect departments across the country, and it makes us here at SIAC ever-more-diligent in pursuing specific actions to help them, like implementing the model ordinance.

Time will tell, it is a very unique time to be a police officer. SIAC will remain the industry’s communication tool, helping police departments, city municipalities, sheriffs, counties and other organizations by educating and implementing alarm management best practices in their areas. It is proven to be effective and most importantly, ensures citizens can maintain “peace of mind” in knowing these systems work and law enforcement will continue to respond when needed.

That’s how we strive to help law enforcement while serving the security industry. Those two roles are not mutually exclusive.

Reducing unnecessary calls for service allows law enforcement to take advantage of new technology and potentially place a higher priority on alarms where there is video, audio or other verifiable evidence of illegal activity that could allow more criminal apprehensions. That benefits law enforcement, the local community and the security industry.