The Spokane Police Department has reported a significant decrease in false alarms since implementing and enforcing enhanced call verification (ECV) policies on April 2.
According to Lt. Glenn Winkey of the Spokane False Alarm Reduction Unit, alarm calls during the first 8 weeks under the enforcement program have netted an additional 41 percent decrease over the same period a year ago.
Before the passage of the current alarm ordinance, the department was getting more than 600 alarm calls per month. By enforcing the ECV policies and registration, Winkey says the department can drop alarm calls to less than 1,000 per year, resulting in an 85 percent reduction in alarm responses since adopting the ordinance.
Olympia, Wash., created and adopted the same ordinance in 2004 and has had an 84 percent reduction in false dispatches.
Both ordinances require the monitoring company to make a minimum of two verification calls prior to notifying the police. An alarm site registration is also required and follows a “No Registration – No Response” policy. The ordinance also follows an advanced alarm control panel standard (CP-01) for all new panel installations.
