Most of us, at one time or another, have been on the giving or receiving end of a personal relationship in which there was, as they say, an imbalance of power. Sometimes, these are referred to as one-sided relationships and often they happen with police officers and other law enforcement agencies.
These arrangements are not typically built to last, as the giver becomes resentful and the taker, if they have any conscience, experiences some level of guilt. Ultimately, it ends up being an unfortunate circumstance for everyone. In more extreme cases, it could even be an abusive situation.
The encouraging news is that, if both parties commit to putting in the work — through acknowledgement, accountability, and honest and open communication — inequality can be reduced or even eliminated. It might be possible, therefore, to salvage the alliance. This all applies to business partnering, as well.
Yes, welcome to another edition of The Dr. Scott Show!
All kidding aside, this is relevant to what some would describe as the unhealthy relationship that the security alarm industry has long had with law enforcement.
Both Sides of the Relationship
For many decades, this relationship has primarily been one-sided, with police being tasked with responding to alarms installed by privately owned, for-profit companies. Adding a heavy thumb on this scale of inequity was the fact that as many as 99% of alarm-based calls for law enforcement dispatch were false. This meant wasting time, money and critical resources, as well as jeopardizing officer safety and public safety.
Although many providers, manufacturers and organizations gave back and supported first responders, thousands exploited this scenario and paid lip service to false alarm reduction. Public agencies pushed back with permitting, fines, low-priority response and, in extreme cases, non-response.
Through the years, industry initiatives such as Model Ordinances, better installation and monitoring practices, two-call verification and technology enhancements put a dent in the nuisance alarm problem.
More recently, video verification and the ANSI/TMA-AVS-01 Alarm Validation Scoring Standard have been among the more progressive remedies put forth. The people responsible for their development deserve due credit.
However, to be frank, these measures are all bandages, rather than bona fide solutions. More can and must be done. And although the false alarm issue is critical, it is only half the story.
Breaking the Cycle with Police and Law Enforcement
To mend fences with many members of the law enforcement community and reverse negative and cynical perceptions of the security industry in their minds, I challenge all installation firms (i.e., dealers and integrators) and monitoring companies to adopt the latest technologies and techniques that have been proven to radically slash, or even eliminate, false alarms.
Furthermore, and just as importantly, owners and operators have to extend themselves to more wholly support and forge deeper ties with police.
For example, I joined four colleagues at the recent FBI-LEEDA Conference in New Orleans, where we led a session to educate officers about how remote video guarding works.
Hundreds of law-enforcement executives were shown statistics and video clips demonstrating how currently available AI-powered security solutions can truly eliminate false alarms, prevent crime in real time and act as a force multiplier, while heightening first responder safety. This is the stuff of trusted public-private partnerships.
Get Involved with Local Police and Law Enforcement
There are scores of law-enforcement events, both big and small, dotting the calendar each year. If you’re a smaller company, find out what the local agencies serving your community have going on and find a way to become involved.
The same goes for regional and larger firms, too. Consider proactively participating in national events organized by groups like the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The opportunity to promote your business and its offerings, all while exchanging firsthand feedback and hearing about their issues and needs, is invaluable.
In addition to my technology challenge, I urge everyone within the security channel to devote more effort and energy to engaging with our nation’s brave, vital and resource-strapped law-enforcement professionals. Put in the work to build (or restore) their faith in security and cultivate champions within the jurisdictions you service.
Assuming this responsibility for our solutions and support will not only foster a more balanced relationship but also generate the impression of being as indispensable as their tactical gear is.
Elite Interactive Solutions’ marketing director, Scott Goldfine, is an SSI Industry Hall of Famer who spent 25 years as Security Sales & Integration’s editor-in-chief.
