SIAC Honors 2 Municipalities for False Dispatch Reduction Efforts
Police departments and city officials in St. Cloud, Fla., and Lexington, S.C., received the SIAC Director’s Award of Distinction.
FRISCO, Texas – Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) presented its Director’s Award of Distinction to municipalities in Florida and South Carolina for their efforts in reducing false alarm dispatches.
The police department in St. Cloud, Fla., received SIAC’s distinction honor concurrently with the Alarm Association of Florida’s Alarm Management Award. The city reduced its alarm dispatches by 67% in its first 12 months of utilizing a model ordinance developed by SIAC and the Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA). The awards were bestowed during a recent city council meeting.
SIAC National Law Enforcement Liaison Glen Mowrey and AAF representatives worked with the St. Cloud Police Department, city staff and the city attorney’s office on the project.
“Our success in reducing alarm calls allows officers to be more proactive in community policing activities,” says St. Cloud Police Chief Pete Gauntlett.
In Lexington, S.C., the police department along with city officials were presented the SIAC Director’s Award of Distinction for reducing alarm dispatches by 46%. Police Chief Terence Green and staff were honored during a recent town council meeting.
Representatives from SIAC and the South Carolina Police Chiefs Association’s (SCPCA) Alarm Management Committee worked with police department staff and the city attorney’s office to implement the SCPCA’s model alarm ordinance in reducing alarm dispatch requests.
“We feel very good about the success of our alarm management program, the results we’ve realized, and look forward to even greater reductions in the future,” says Chief Green. “Our partnership with SIAC and the SCPCA Alarm Management Committee has certainly aided us in reducing our alarm dispatches.”
False alarm reduction efforts in St. Cloud and Lexington demonstrate that well-implemented alarm management practices provide the intended result of fewer dispatches, says SIAC Executive Director Stan Martin.
“Police are freed to address other calls that may have greater public safety consequences. Customers are happy that they don’t have unnecessary alarm activations,” he says. “In turn, security companies are in better shape because they can sell improved alarm management practices. The result equals fewer fines to the customer.”
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