Salt Lake City

T h e Fa l se A l a r m S o l u t i o n : average police response time to alarm actiV e r i f i e d R e s p o n s e vations was up to 40 minutes, well beyond the time when police could reasonably hope Judge's Commentary to apprehend an intruder. More than 99 perThe Salt Lake City Police Department's vericent of all alarm calls proved false, fied response to alarms stands out for severResponding officers were getting increasingal reasons. Most obvious is the impact that ly complacent and they risked injury just verified response has had on reducing the driving to alarm calls, amount of police resources consumed by highly unproductive responses to intrusion Analysis: Past efforts to reduce the volume alarms. Verified response achieves reduction of false alarms through permits, warnings, levels that no other response to the false fines, and suspensions had only modest alarm problem has even come close to effect. An examination of other approaches achieving, while at the same time showing tried elsewhere, from cost recovery to alarm evidence that it improves the overall comindustry regulation to outsourcing alarm munity response to the very problem that administration, similarly proved only modalarms are intended to address burglary. erate effectiveness. Police response to alarms was most effective and efficient if the police Salt Lake City's experience with false had verification that an alarm activation was alarms prior to adopting the verified indicative of suspicious activity. Private response approach was typical of that faced security guards were ideally suited to make by so many police agencies. Salt Lake City this initial verification, officials justified verified response by detailed documentation of the problem Alarm owners were receptive to the through hard data and professional expertpossibility of having private guards verify ise. They carefully explored and noted the alarms once they realized how this option limitations of alternative strategies for could improve response times and lower reducing the false alarm burden. They their costs. A few other jurisdictions had methodically built up internal, community, positive experiences with verified response, legal, and political support for making the A legal opinion established that police were dramatic shift in police policy. Perhaps most under no legal obligation to respond to all importantly, they continue to work closely alarm activations. A sufficient number of with the private alarm and security industry alarm companies and private guard compato ensure that all aspects of verified nies were willing and able to provide initial response, from legislation to private security verification service in a timely fashion, training to police operations, remain aligned to advance the community's ultimate interResponse: The police department proposed est, the protection of property from burglary. a verified alarm response ordinance to the city council. A campaign to inform the pubS u m m a r y lic, elected officials, and the alarm industry The Problem: False alarm calls were drainabout the purposes and advantages of veriing patrol resources, comprising 12 percent fied response was undertaken. The city of all dispatched calls. They contributed to a council passed the ordinance and the police significant backlog of calls for service. The department conducted training for private