Georgia Adopts Enhanced Call Verification to Combat False Dispatches
ATLANTA — Georgia is joining the list of states to mandate alarm management best practices to conserve police resources while maintaining police response for burglar alarms. Beginning July 1, central stations will be required to make two telephone calls to alarm owners prior to dispatching police to an alarm site.
The program, called Enhanced Call Verification (ECV), reduces unnecessary dispatches by up to 70%, according to the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC). The program is already mandated statewide in Florida and Tennessee.
“The experience in Florida and Tennessee demonstrates that the growth in the adoption of cellular technology has made ECV a very effective tool in alarm management,” says John Loud, president of Atlanta-based Loud Security, who also serves as president of the Georgia Electronic Life Safety & Systems Association (GELSSA).
The Georgia proposal was approved by the state legislature and is the result of a joint effort of the Alarm Management Committee of GELSSA, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP) and SIAC.
“As technology continues to evolve, it is making alarm systems more dependable and flexible,” says Glen Mowrey, national law enforcement liaison for SIAC. “Working along with state alarm associations, SIAC provides public safety agencies with technical expertise from the industry and law enforcement experts at no charge to help craft and implement best practice in alarm management.”
Several municipalities in Georgia, including Marietta, had previously implemented ECV.
“ECV maintains the proven deterrent value of alarm systems while helping us focus our resources more effectively,” says Dan Flynn, Marietta Chief of Police. “Our experience has been that a well-managed alarm program, based on national best practices, provides the optimum protection for our citizens and the most efficient use of our police resources.”
Police in other parts of the state are looking forward to implementing the ECV system, according to Billy Grogan, Dunwoody Chief of Police. “ECV could turn out to be a game changer for law enforcement throughout Georgia.”
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