PITTSBURGH — Vector Security Inc. of Pittsburgh has captured the inaugural Police Dispatch Quality Award (PDQ) for its demonstrated commitment to and excellence in minimizing false police dispatches.

The award was announced jointly by organizers the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC), False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA) and Security Sales & Integration.

Vector was cited for implementing a comprehensive 12-step plan that resulted in a reduction of annual dispatches per account from 1.37 to .8. The program includes internal and external training; counseling offenders; inspecting system designs; enhanced call verification (ECV); user introductory training periods; and new technology involving control panels compliant with the Security Industry Association (SIA) CP-01 standard.

Vector President John Murphy was thrilled about winning the honor and lauded his dedicated personnel for the achievement.

“It’s really a credit to the staff we have here. Vector is a true team. Pat Killian [false alarm program manager] has already won an award as the FARA alarm person of the year and she has some people, such as Derrick Jackson and Afornia Hawthorne, who do a great, great job,” says Murphy. “Pam Petrow runs our central stations, and this success is also a result of how well she trains her people.” SIAC, FARA and SSI launched the PDQ program in 2005 to stem the false alarm problem by recognizing those installing and monitoring companies that follow established industry practices and partner with law enforcement to achieve the highest quality in police dispatch requests.

“The submissions clearly show that there are many alarm companies that take false alarms seriously and make false alarm reduction a part of their integral business plans,” says FARA President Norma Beaubien of the Montgomery County (Md.) Police Department. “It is our hope that others can and will learn from the PDQ Award winners how they, too, can become part of the solution.”

Custom Alarm of Rochester, Minn., was the PDQ runner-up after notching a 17.6-percent decrease in false alarms and a 42.3 percent cut in false dispatches. Overland, Kansas-based Atronic Alarms was the other finalist, receiving attention for creating a Quality Assurance Department whose primary purpose is to address false alarms following each installation.

Vector will be formally recognized with a special plaque at the SAMMY Awards gala April 4 at 4:30 p.m. at the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas to kick off ISC West (go to page 76 for more on the SAMMY Awards). A representative from the company will receive a $1,000 check from PDQ sponsor Honeywell to make the journey.

Be sure to see the May issue of SSI for a detailed profile of Vector’s false dispatch program as well as highlights of the other finalists’ schemes.

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