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Your Procedures
If your residence and/or
business are alarmed, you should make sure your first lines of defense are
adequate. This will include proper dead bolt locks, light timers and
landscaping that does not conceal a potential entry point. When leaving the
premise, always arm the system and be sure that windows are not left open and
pets are not able to wander in areas where motion detectors will activate.
These steps will go a long way in preventing false alarms and may stop an
intruder from testing your alarm system. Be sure everyone in the house and/or
business is aware of the alarm system and how it works. If you have any
questions about your system,
CALL YOUR ALARM COMPANY.
In some areas, a false
alarm that is attended by the Police may prompt them to levy a monetary fine to
the owner, issue a “caution” or even
completely suspend Police response to that location.
A valid alarm is an alarm
signal activated for the purpose it was installed.
A
false alarm is an alarm that prompts a police (or other person or agency)
response to a premise where an emergency does not exist.
Alarm system owners
and users are responsible for their alarm activity.
Alarm system owner’s
responsibilities
Alarm system owners are responsible for ensuring that ALL persons authorized to
use their respective alarm systems are properly trained. This will include
third party users, such as friends, cleaning people, subcontractors, maintenance
staff etc.
Checking the Premises
If
you have been called and attend, the police may have already responded to the
alarm, inspected and departed from the premises prior to a keyholder’s
attendance. The police will not return to this premises unless some sign of
criminal activity exists.
Be
very careful as the police may respond while the keyholder is within the
premises, and could mistake the keyholder for an intruder.
The
keyholder may contact the monitoring station from a cellular phone or another
location to ascertain if police have attended.
In
order to maintain the safety of the attending keyholder, the following measures
should be considered:
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While checking the premises, DO SO WITH
CARE,
and maintain a high degree of alertness.
Ø
Complete a perimeter check from a safe distance.
Ø
If
there are obvious sign of force entry,
DO NOT ENTER THE PREMISES.
Ø
Immediately call the police from a
safe distance by dialing 9-1-1.
Ø
After police notification, remain
at a safe distance and observe your premises and await the arrival of police.
Ø
Make yourself known to the
responding officer(s).
Ø
If there are no obvious signs of
forced entry, the keyholder may wish to check the premises.
Ø
Turn on the lights. DO NOT search
around in a dark building.
Ø
Immediately on entering the
premises, CALL the monitoring station to advise them that you are inside.
Ø
Determine from the station the
source of the alarm.
Ø
If the keyholder concludes that
the alarm is false, the keyholder should advise the monitoring company. They
may be able to prevent an unnecessary police response.
Ø
If the alarm is false, you should
take appropriate steps to ensure that the alarm is not falsely activated again.
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