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NATIONAL SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION RESOLUTION
MEASURES TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSES TO FALSE ALARM

Whereas
One of the critical concerns of law enforcement private security administration should be to address the problem of false alarms in their jurisdictions; and
Whereas
About 90 percent of all alarm calls made to police are false or unfounded, and in many jurisdictions those calls constitute 10 to 25 percent of all law enforcement calls for services; and
Whereas
The number of false alarms is growing along with the number of alarm systems in use, thereby taking law enforcement away from real emergencies and making each alarm system less reliable, credible and valuable; and
Whereas
Professionally installed and monitored alarm systems are useful instruments to deter crime and provide peace of mind for residential and business users of those systems; and
Whereas
This is a national problem (with both national and local solutions) that warrants the interest and concern of N.S.A;
Resolved
That the National Sheriffs' Association will continue through the efforts of the Private Security Committee and the nations numerous Alarm Associations to study the false alarm problem; and
Resolved
That the National Sheriffs' Association recommends that false alarms remain an issue for the Private Security Committee and that the Private Security Committee work with the state Sheriffs' Associations and the alarm industry to stimulate state and local level initiatives to reduce the problem; and
Further Resolved
That the National Sheriffs' Association urges our Sheriff's Office/Sheriff's Department to attempt to reduce their alarm response workload by considering various options, some of which could include the following:

·	Encouraging or requiring alarm central stations' response to attempt to verify alarms by telephone or by other electronic means before calling the law enforcement
·	Moving alarm industry towards self-regulation by suspending services to chronic abusers of alarm systems
·	Supporting alarm systems user education
·	Utilizing supplementary or alternative response (leaving initial alarm response to private, contract responders or to municipal employees other than commissioned officers/deputies
·	Encouraging the passage of alarm ordinances that provide for, among other things, user permits and fines for excessive numbers of false alarms
·	Supporting security industry technology research and equipment standards
·	Supporting cooperative efforts to reduce the administrative burden to local government through efficient permitting, licensing and centralized managing of the false alarm data and fee collection process
·	Accepting dispatch cancellations
·	Supporting dispatch cancellations
·	Supporting licensing of alarm companies
·	Supporting consumer ratings of alarm companies and systems based on dependability

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Sheriffs' Association urges all State Sheriff's Association/Sheriff's Departments/Office of Sheriff to participate in this program to reduce the number of false alarms on a nationwide basis.

Adopted at a general membership
Meeting on the 14th day of June, 1995
In San Antonio, Texas

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