Monitronics Wins PDQ Award for False Alarm Reduction Efforts

In 2013, Monitronics posted a dispatch rate of 0.184 in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (N.C.) region, helping the firm to earn a Police Dispatch Quality (PDQ) Award.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Monitronics received the 2013 Police Dispatch Quality (PDQ) Award for its ongoing efforts to reduce false alarm dispatches during a special ceremony at the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) Tuesday.

The Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC), False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA) and Security Sales & Integration established the PDQ award program in 2005.

Also endorsed by the Installation Quality (IQ) program, the PDQ award program spotlights alarm installing and monitoring businesses for creating best practices that help prevent false alarm dispatches.

Monitronics received the honor during the SSI-sponsored IceBreaker Luncheon. Engineered Protection Systems and Amherst Alarm were PDQ Award runners-up.

Judges evaluated companies on various training activities, customer educational material, use of industry-recommended practices like enhanced call verification (ECV), use of SIA CP-01 equipment, follow-up with customers and tracking problem accounts. Applicants also had to include a letter from a local law enforcement agency confirming the company’s police dispatch alarm rate. Submissions are scored in 15 different areas.

“Monitronics has long been an industry leader in promoting best practices in reducing the number of alarm dispatches,”  SIAC Executive Director Stan Martin says. “Their commitment to their customers and their drive to partner with law enforcement is evident by their implementation of proven dispatch reduction strategies.”

In 2013, Monitronics Alarm Response Center operators handled millions of high priority alarms, with more than 75 percent related to burglary or police panic events. Less than 20 percent of the alarms resulted in a genuine request for police dispatch, according to the firm.

The company’s winning application centered on its Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C.  region, where it posted a dispatch rate of 0.184 during 2013.

“We are served by 200+ alarm companies,” “Unfortunately, we don’t have communication with many [alarm companies] until there is a problem,” writes David Wilson, an officer with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. “On the other hand, the Monitronics Customer Relations Management Team … always go out of their way to assist our police agency with their customer’s permits and any problems that arise.

An in-depth look at the company’s award-winning practices will be featured in the October issue of SSI.

Other previous winners include, Broadview Security, Atronic Alarms, Alarm Detection Systems Inc., Brink’s Home Security, Custom Alarm, HS Technology and Vector Security (two-time winner).

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