In 1995 approximately 1500 police taskings per week were in response to security alarms., representing a large cost impact on police resources. This ever increasing demand seriously affected patrol availability. The supply, servicing and installation of alarm systems is essentially a commercial enterprise. As such, the alarm industry has accountability and responsibility for the integrity of alarms systems installed in both domestic and commercial premises.
Police also have a duty to attend alarm activation's under certain circumstances.
The South Australia Police and the Security Industry recognised that there was an increasing problem and working together, decided to combat the high incidence of false alarm calls and to introduce some new procedures to provide a more credible and reliable service to the public. In a new system, that was implemented in the greater Adelaide metropolitan area from 1 January 1996, alarm monitoring companies now divide all alarm calls they receive into two categories 'A' and 'B'. Category 'A' alarms are immediately referred to the Police Communications Centre for police action where as Category 'B' alarms are initially responded to by the alarm monitoring company. A police patrol attends Category 'A' alarms after having been tasked by the Police Communications Centre. If an alarm monitoring company chooses, the response can be provided by the Police Security Services Division of the SA Police, at a competitive user-pays rate.