Private Guard Response
What are my options?
Monitored alarm customers have the option to choose Private Guard Response to replace police dispatch in the case of a possible false alarm. What does that mean for you the customer?
If the Monitoring Center is unable to reach the first two contacts on your call list, if you choose Private Guard Response, the Monitoring Center will dispatch a private guard service to the alarm location and you will be billed for that response. The cost for a Private Guard Response is typically $50 or less per incident, as compared to more costly false alarm fines you would receive if the police respond and cannot find evidence of a legitimate alarm. A Private Guard responding has the authority to request immediate Police Dispatch if they find evidence of criminal activity or other legitimate cause for alarm.
How can I avoid False Alarm Fines?
The City of Spokane implemented a false alarm ordinance in January of 2006 requiring all alarm systems in the City of Spokane to be registered. Other cites in Allied's service area have implemented similar ordinances designed to reduce false alarms and unnecessary police dispatch.
In the event of an activated alarm, our Monitoring Center is required to provide your Alarm Registration Number to the police dispatch to have authorities dispatched. If the authorities arrive and can find no signs of a break-in or attempted break-in, the event is automatically considered a false alarm and there is subsequently a fine levied against the property or business owner. This fine currently amounts to $85 for residential alarms and $165 for commercial alarms in the City of Spokane. Other cities in Allied"s service area will likely soon be adopting a very similar ordinance and we anticipate area counties may do the same.
Aside from the common practices for preventing false alarms such as regular maintenance and testing of the systems and ensuring all alarm users are properly trained in the arming and disarming procedures, there is an option allowing you to avoid costly fines in the event of a false alarm. That option is Private Guard Response for situations where an actual alarm activation cannot be immediately verified. What that means is, when your alarm system is tripped, our Monitoring Center is required to attempt a minimum of two phone calls before dispatching police. Typically the first phone call will be to the premises where the alarm happened. If there is no response at the site, the Monitoring Center is required to call the second number on your call list, which is typically a cell phone for one of the owners or another designated responsible individual.
In most situatins one of these two phone calls allow the Monitoring Center to verify that the alarm is either legitimate or accidental, thereby avoiding police response and subsequent false alarm fine if the alarm was accidental. The actual time spent in this two-call verification process is insignificant in causing any delays for response and actually has been proven to be the most effective tool in eliminating false alarm responses around the country.
Here is where your choices come into play. Once the two initial calls are made, the Monitoring Center has the authority to dispatch police, which Allied has instructed that they do, unless you have made an alternate choice. Once police are dispatched, the Monitoring Center will continue to call the additional phone numbers on your call list in the hopes of contacting a responsible party but the police will already be in route at that time.
Again, if the Monitoring Center is unable to contact anyone on your call list with the two initial calls, if you choose Private Guard Response, the Monitoring Center will dispatch a private guard service to the alarm location and you will be billed for that response. A Private Guard responding has the authority to request immediate Police Dispatch if they find evidence of criminal activity or other legitimate cause for alarm.
If you would like to discuss this option with one of our representatives, call our Monitored Account Representatives at 509-624-3152 or 1-800-448-8338, and ask for George Bacon or Corri Hauck.
To sign up for Private Guard Response, click here to download the Alarm Response Options Authorization Form and complete the form.
