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Subject: False Alarm Reduction Policy
Policy No.:5.ADM.15
Effective Date: November 1, 2022
Next Review Date: 3 years from approval date
Area(s) this Policy Applies to: Saint John Police
Force
Office Responsible for Review of this Policy:
Inspector of Patrol Division
Related Instruments:
Policy Sponsors:
Document Pages: This Document Consists of
15 Pages.
Revision History:
Date Created:
2021-10-12
Contact: Caitlin Foster
Manager Policy & Risk Management
Email: [email protected]
French translation of this document can be
provided upon request.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 3
B. Definitions ......................................................................................................................... 3
C. Policy Overview ................................................................................................................. 4
D. Special Caution ................................................................................................................ 7
E. Suspension of Police Response ......................................................................................... 7
F. Reinstatement of Police Response .................................................................................... 8
G. Appeal Process ................................................................................................................. 8
H. Appendix ........................................................................................................................ 10
1. Suspension Appeal Form .............................................................................. 10
2. Disposition Appeal Form ............................................................................... 11
3. Special Caution Notice ................................................................................... 12
4. Suspension Notice ......................................................................................... 13
5. Reinstatement Advisory Notice ..................................................................... 14
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A. PURPOSE
1.Burglar alarms, by their very nature, compel the police to provide an emergency response. When
the alarm turns out to be false, the safety of the police and the public has unnecessarily been placed
at risk. Not only do false alarms pose a risk to police and public safety, but they also compromise the
Saint John Police Force's (SJPF) ability to respond to true emergencies.
2. In response to the number of false company burglar alarms the SJPF attends, this policy will serve
to reduce and address the number of repeat occurrences. This policy does not apply to residential
alarms, or hold-up alarms.
B. DEFINITIONS
1. Alarm Business: Means any person or persons who engage in the business of monitoring alarm
systems (including live video surveillance) and reports to the SJPF when an alarm system has been
activated.
2. Alarm System: Means any device which, when activated transmits a signal which can be audible,
visual, or by other means, to alert a person(s) to the activation.
3. Burglar Alarm: Means an alarm system installed in a premise which, when activated, signals an
alert of criminal activity or imminent threat to personal safety. It includes but is not limited to alarm
distinctions described as burglar, motion, door, window, glass break, etcetera.
4.Company Alarm: Means an event created in response to the activation of an alarm system installed
in a non-residential premise (i.e. business, bank, etcetera), excluding schools and hospitals.
5.False Alarm: Means an alarm system signal which causes police response to investigate criminal
activity or imminent threat to personal safety whereupon police officers at the scene confirm no such
situation has taken place or means the activation of an alarm system, where in the opinion of the
Chief of Police or designate, no emergency or evidence of criminal activity exists.
6. Hold-Up Alarm: Means an event created in response to the activation of a hold-up alarm signal
installed in a financial institution (defined as bank, trust or loan company or credit union) or business
premise which, when activated signals an alert of a robbery that is occurring/has taken place. An
alarm system installed in a commercial premise identified by the alarm industry as a panic alarm is
classified as a hold-up alarm.
7.Post Suspension Alarm: Means a request received from an alarm business for a police response to
an alarm system that has been suspended from receiving police response to alarm system
activations.
8. Residential Alarm: Means an event created in response to the activation of an alarm system
installed in a residential premise, including multi-unit residential buildings.
9.Valid Alarm: Means an alarm system signal, confirmed by police officers at the scene, that was
activated for its intended purpose. The intended purpose of an alarm system is to alert of criminal
activity or imminent threat to personal safety.
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C. POLICY OVERVIEW
1. Police Response
The SJPF will respond to requests from an alarm business to attend and investigate alarm system
signals under the following conditions:
a) the alarm business operator has complied with call processing requirements; and
b) requests received from an alarm business to a company alarm system are not under police
response suspension.
If an alarm business requests response to a suspended company alarm system (i.e. post
suspension alarm), the SJPF may accept the call for service. Any such alarm event found to be
false will be invoiced $100.00 per call.
Note: This policy only applies to company burglar alarms, in which schools and hospitals are
exempt.
2. Public Safety and Communications Centre (PSCC) Responsibilities
PSCC Call-Taker is responsible for the following:
a) receiving calls from alarm businesses reporting a company alarm activation;
b) generating a CAD call; and
c) reviewing the current list of suspended addresses, to determine the status of police response
to company alarm activations. In the case of:
i.
A post suspension alarm, advise caller that due to the alarm system suspension,
police will not be responding. The call-ending disposition must be entered as "No
Response - Post Suspension Alarm";
ii.
alarm calls made to non-suspended addresses, are to be routed to the PSCC
dispatcher.
PSCC Dispatcher is responsible for the following:
a) dispatching the CAD call to police units;
b) tracking any call updates; and
c) assigning call-ending dispositions appropriately. In the case of:
i.
false alarm (as indicated by the responding officer), the PSCC Dispatcher will enter the
call-ending disposition as "No Report - False Alarm".
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3. PSCC Specialist Responsibilities
The PSCC Specialist is responsible for generating a monthly Cognos report for SJPF alarm response
management purposes. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) running a monthly Cognos report to identify CAD calls with the following call-ending
dispositions:
i.
No Report - False Alarm;
ii.
No Response - Post Suspension Alarm.
b) emailing the Cognos report to the PSCC Administrative Assistant monthly.
4. PSCC Administrative Assistant Responsibilities
The PSCC Administrative Assistant responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) reviewing the monthly Cognos report provided by the PSCC Specialist, to identify companies
that have received two false alarm calls within one calendar year, and companies that have
received four false alarm calls within one calendar year;
b) drafting a Special Caution Notice once a company alarm system has incurred two false alarm
events within a calendar year. The Special Caution Notice will be issued to the following:
i.
the registered address of the alarm system; and
ii.
the alarm business.
c) drafting an Alarm Suspension Notice once a company alarm system has incurred four false
alarm events within one calendar year. The Alarm Suspension Notice will be issued to the
following:
i.
the registered address of the alarm system; and
ii.
the alarm business.
d) drafting a Reinstatement Advisory Notice to the alarm business and registered address of the
alarm system upon the end of the suspension period;
e) submitting all notices to the Inspector of Support Services along with supporting
documentation, for approval before issuing notices to the registered address of alarm system
and the alarm business;
f) notifying the SJPF Accountant should an alarm business request response to a suspended
alarm system (i.e. Post Suspension Alarm), and such alarm event is found to be false.
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5. Inspector of Support Services
The Inspector of Support Services responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) approving the Special Caution, Alarm Suspension, and the Reinstatement Advisory notices for
issuance;
b) processing appeal requests; and
c) advising the Manager of PSCC Operations and Information Systems or designate, when an alarm
business has incurred three past due post suspension alarm invoices resulting in the suspension
police response to an alarm, or when a suspended address becomes reinstated.
6. SJPF Accountant Responsibilities
The SJPF Accountant responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) as indicated by the PSCC Administrative Assistant, invoicing a fee of $100.00 per call should an
alarm business request a post suspension alarm and such alarm event is found to be false, and
notifying the Inspector of Support Services should an alarm business incur three past due post
suspension alarm invoices.
7. Manager of PSCC Operations and Information Systems
The Manager of PSCC Operations and Information Systems or designate is responsible for the
following:
a) Communicating to PSCC the addresses where police response to an alarm is actively suspended,
as indicated by the Inspector of Support Services.
8. Alarm Business Responsibilities
Alarm businesses are responsible for, but not limited to, the following:
a) ensuring alarm users are informed of this Policy and any updates therein, and its contents (i.e.
suspension policies, alarm disposition appeal procedure, suspension appeal procedure);
b) providing written and oral instructions to alarm system users in the proper use and operation
of the alarm system; and
c) complying with the described requirements contained within this Policy.
9. Alarm System User Responsibilities
Alarm system users are responsible for, but not limited to, the following:
a) maintaining the premise and alarm system in a manner that will minimize or eliminate false
alarms;
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b) providing up to date contact names, telephone numbers and mailing address to the SJPF and
the alarm business;
c) responding to or having a key holder who has access to the alarm system location attend when
requested by the SJPF to assist with the deactivation of the alarm system, providing access
and/or providing alternate security;
d) not activating the alarm system for any reason other than the purpose of which the alarm
system was intended; and
e) addressing alarm system issues (i.e. service, suspension of service, submission of disposition
appeal request or suspension appeal request) with the alarm business.
D. SPECIAL CAUTION
1. Correspondence - Special Caution Notice
The PSCC Administrative Assistant will provide a Special Caution Notice to the Alarm Business and the
address of the alarm system once an alarm system has incurred two false alarm events within a
calendar year.
2. Alarm Business - Caution
The alarm business is responsible for informing the appropriate alarm system user that the alarm
system has incurred two false alarm events. It is recommended that steps be taken to prevent police
response to additional false alarm events (this includes retraining in the operation of the alarm
system and/or service to the installed alarm system).
E. SUSPENSION OF POLICE RESPONSE
1. Correspondence - Suspension Notice
Upon an alarm system incurring four false alarm events within a calendar year, the PSCC
Administrative Assistant will issue a suspension notice. The suspension will become effective
fourteen days after issuing the Alarm Suspension Notice. Should an alarm business request a Post
Suspension Alarm response, the SJPF may accept the call for service. Any such alarm event found to
be false will be invoiced $100.00 per call. Should an alarm user incur three past due post suspension
alarm invoices, police response to the company alarm will be discontinued.
2. Alarm Business - Suspension
The alarm business is responsible for informing the appropriate alarm system user of the impending
suspension status, for explaining the SJPF suspension appeal procedures and establishing alternate
response arrangements.
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3. Suspension Term
The suspension of service to an alarm system will remain in effect for one calendar year from the
suspension effective date. After one calendar year of suspension, the Inspector of Support Services
will review the address history to assess whether the alarm system will be reinstated. Each
suspended address will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Factors that the Inspector of Support
Services will consider, but not limited to, are as follows:
i.
the number of post suspension alarm requests, that were determined to be false
alarms; and
ii.
additional information submitted by the alarm business with respect to the steps
taken to resolve false alarm causes.
F. REINSTATEMENT OF POLICE RESPONSE
1. Correspondence - Reinstatement Advisory Notice
The PSCC Administrative Assistant will issue a Reinstatement Advisory Notice to the alarm business
and registered address of the alarm system upon the conclusion of the suspension period, as directed
by the Inspector of Support Services. See section E.3 for reinstatement guidance. Police response will
resume 14 days after the reinstatement notice is issued.
2. Alarm Business - Deferred Reinstatement
Alarm systems that have been deferred for reinstatement will be identified and remain under
suspension of service. Identified addresses will be reviewed annually. If a reinstatement notice is not
issued by the SJPF, this means that the address has been deferred for reinstatement. It is the
responsibility of the alarm business to take the appropriate steps to notify all affected alarm
companies or clients of any deferred reinstatement.
G. APPEAL PROCESS
1. Appeals
The alarm business may appeal an alarm disposition or an alarm suspension of police response
(invoked suspension of police response to alarm system signals). The administration of appeals
(disposition or suspension) must be managed by the alarm business. The Inspector of Support
Services will only accept documentation submitted by the alarm business.
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2. Alarm Disposition Appeal
The alarm business is responsible to submit an Alarm Disposition Appeal Request form and any
supporting documentation (i.e. work order, invoice, police occurrence number, and any information
describing the steps taken to resolve the false alarm issues) on behalf of the alarm system user,
should information be obtained that suggests a false alarm was actually valid. This appeal must be
submitted within 90 days from the notice issuance date.
3. Alarm Suspension Appeal
The alarm business is responsible to submit a Suspension Appeal Request form and any supporting
documentation (i.e., work order, invoice, explanation letter, etcetera, describing the steps taken to
resolve the false alarm issues) should the alarm system user request such. The Suspension Appeal
form must be submitted within 90 days from the notice issuance date.
Note:
- A minimum suspension period of thirty (30) days, from the effective date must be served during
which this period must be clear of any false and/or post suspension alarm system signals;
- A request will not be accepted where a suspension appeal was successful within the previous
calendar year (this constitutes a second suspension). A previous Suspension Appeal Request
must not have been processed within the past calendar year.
Saint John Police Force
Force policière de Saint John
Alarm Suspension Appeal Form
Alarm Business:
Contact Name:
Date of incident:
Contact Information:
Location of Alarm Activation:
Company Name:
Company Address:
Owner name:
Owner Contact Information:
Please provide any information supporting the alarm suspension appeal below and attach any supporting documents.
Completed by:
Date: Click or tap to enter a date.
Security designation
Confidential
Saint John Police Force
Force policière de Saint John
Alarm Disposition Appeal Form
Alarm Business:
Contact Name:
Date of incident:
Contact Information:
Location of Alarm Activation:
Company Name:
Company Address:
Owner name:
Owner Contact Information:
Please provide any information supporting the alarm disposition appeal below and attach any supporting documents.
Completed by:
Date: Click or tap to enter a date.
Security designation
Confidential
Saint John Police Force
Force policière de Saint John
Special Caution Notice
[Date:]
[Alarm Business name and Address:]
Dear [Alarm business and Company Alarm User]:
Re: Caution Notice
I am writing to inform you that your (business) located at (address) has incurred (2) false alarms within the
current calendar year. (Name of Alarm business) reported the following alarms, which were determined to be
false by the SJPF:
- (SJPF occurrence number and address)
Upon an alarm system incurring (4) false alarms within a calendar year, a suspension notice will be issued.
Should an alarm business request a police response to a system that has been suspended, the SJPF may accept
the call for service. However, any such alarm event found to be false will be invoiced $100.00 per call. Should
an alarm user incur three past due post suspension alarm invoices, police response to a company alarm will be
discontinued.
It is recommended that steps be taken to prevent additional false alarm events to prevent a future police
response suspension (this includes but is not limited to, retraining employees in the operation of the alarm
system and/or service to the installed alarm system).
Should you wish to appeal an alarm disposition, please complete a SJPF Alarm Disposition Appeal form and
provide supporting documentation.
Sincerely,
[
]
Security designation
Confidential
Saint John Police Force
Force policière de Saint John
Suspension Notice
[Date:]
[Alarm Business name and Address:]
Dear [Alarm business and Company Alarm User]:
Re: Suspension Notice
I am writing to inform you that your (business) located at (address) has incurred (4) false alarms within the
current calendar year. (Name of Alarm business) reported the following alarms, which were determined to be
false by the SJPF:
- (SJPF occurrence number and address)
Police response to burglar alarms at this location has been suspended, effective [date]. Should an alarm
business request a police response to a system that has been suspended, the SJPF may accept the call for
service. However, any such alarm event found to be false will be invoiced $100.00 per call. Should an alarm
user incur three past due post suspension alarm invoices, police response to a company alarm will be
discontinued.
The suspension of service will remain in effect for one calendar year from the suspension date. The
suspension will be reviewed after one calendar year for possible reinstatement. Alarm systems that have
been deferred for reinstatement will be identified and remain under suspension of service. If a reinstatement
notice is not issued by the SJPF, this means that the address has been deferred for reinstatement. It is the
responsibility of the alarm business to take the appropriate steps to notify all affected alarm companies or
clients of any deferred reinstatement.
Should you wish to appeal this suspension, please complete a SJPF Suspension Appeal form and provide
supporting documentation (i.e. work order, invoice, any information describing the steps taken to resolve the
false alarm issues).
Sincerely,
[ ]
Security designation
Confidential
Saint John Police Force
Force policière de Saint John
Reinstatement Advisory Notice
[Date:]
[Alarm Business name and Address:]
Dear [Alarm business and Company Alarm User]:
Re: Reinstatement Advisory Notice
I am writing to inform you that police response to burglar alarms from (business) located at (address) service is
being reinstated by the Saint John Police Force effective [date].
Sincerely,
[ ]
Security designation
Confidential