Dear Alarm Customer:

The security alarm industry is encouraging customers to adopt a process called Enhanced Call Verification (EVC). This overview was developed to provide alarm owners information on ECV and how to take advantage of a program that will reduce law enforcement dispatch to invalid (false) alarms and enhance the effectiveness of your alarm system.

THE HISTORY:  Over a decade ago, and in conjunction with law enforcement, the industry deployed a process of verification by which the alarm company calls the premises and asks for a pass code prior to requesting a dispatch from law enforcement. This procedure has been effective in eliminating over 75% of the false dispatches. However, with the huge increase in the sheer number of new systems the remaining 25% of these dispatches still represent far too large a drain on law enforcement resources and must be dealt with.

Enhanced Call Verification:  At the request of law enforcement the industry began a series of tests with the verification process. These tests involved calling additional contact numbers prior to the dispatch request. This produced reductions in dispatch requests of between 30 and 50%. ECV has the potential of delivering reductions in dispatches sufficient to bring immediate relief to law enforcement while the industry delivers other solutions that are far more cumbersome to enact and it is urgent that it be initiated as soon as possible.

THE PROCESS:  Enhanced Call Verification procedures are used only for burglary signals. Panic, holdup, and other user initiated alarms will still be handled as per the procedure that you currently have in place with your alarm company.

When your alarm company deploys ECV they will be calling two phone numbers to verify prior to dispatching. On the average this will delay the dispatch by less than 30 seconds. When available, the second number called should be a cellular number since most of the false dispatches occur while turning the system either on or off. It is not the intention of this procedure to have you guess as to whether to dispatch the police when you are not at the premises. Since these alarms are occurring during the on/ off process it makes sense that someone is either at the premises or has recently left. In this case you will have sufficient information to make a decision on when to request a dispatch of law enforcement.

If you are not at the premises, or have not recently left, or do not have additional information such as it's the maid's day to work, then the decision should always be for the alarm company to dispatch a responder.

GOOD CITIZENSHIP:  Implementing ECV serves the community by conserving resources but is no substitute for responsible operation of your alarm system. If there is a need for more training you should contact your alarm company and request additional instruction. If there is an ongoing problem with the equipment that is causing dispatches to invalid alarms, then the system should be serviced to eliminate the problem. Most problems can be minimized by insuring that you've been given adequate time to arm the alarm and safely exit, or enter and turn the alarm off. The industry standards recommend that you have at least 60 seconds to exit and 45 seconds to enter. You can verify your systems programming by contacting your alarm company.

 So we are asking for your help to work with your alarm company and your local police to bring this problem under control.

© SIAC 2005 REV ECV12-05