The Greater Los Angeles Security Alarm Association (GLASAA) has filed suit against the city of Los Angeles in an attempt to prevent the Los Angeles Police Department from implementing its new verified (non-response) policy. The policy would end police to response to burglar alarms only when they are first verified by other means, such as a person or via video.

The suit seeks a permanent injunction against the policy, claiming that the rule would violate state law and that the Los Angeles Police Commission did not have the authority to approve the order, which took place Jan. 7. GLASAA says it took action to preserve the public safety and crime prevention aspects of alarm systems for the 250,000-plus properties in the city.

At present, a burglar alarm task force formed by the Los Angeles City Council is close to its final meeting to come up with alternative false alarm measures to present to the city council April 20. At that time, the city council can only recommend — not mandate — some, any or none of the recommendations to the police commission.

But the new policy’s effective date is April 15. Joe Gunn, executive director of the police commission and a member of the task force, said the police department is in the process of alerting and training its officers for the new policy.

“Even if we think this task force is coming up with more reasonable solutions that will have a positive impact on public safety, there’s no confidence that their recommendations will be given consideration,” says Jerry Lenander, spokesperson for GLASAA. That is why GLASAA went ahead with the lawsuit. Lenander adds that Gunn is clearly not interested about what the task force is working on. “The only goal is for him to implement his policy.”

According to Lenander, a number of private guard response companies told GLASAA that it would them take them between one and two years to be able to develop a workforce to respond to all the alarm properties in the city.

GLASAA estimates legal costs associated with this issue will top out at around $350,000. Both groups are seeking financial support nationwide from the industry for this effort due to the far-reaching impact of the policy.

“While the alarm companies in Los Angeles have raised $150,000 to pay for the effort in the past year, we now need assistance of every company and every association to support this effort,” Lenander states. He adds that associate/supplier companies have been responsive to assist in some way, while thousands of dollars from national companies have been donated.

For more information, contact the California Alarm Association (CAA) at (800) 437-7658 or E-mail [email protected].

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