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Dec 14, 2005 9:55 am US/Central
Dallas Council Votes On Verified Response Today
by J.D. Miles
(CBS 11 News)
Dallas City Council votes today on a major change in the way police respond to burglar alarms.
Members will vote on a controversial proposal called "Verified Response," which would have private security guards respond to burglar alarm calls before police are dispatched to a home or business.
Police groups say verified response will free up officers burdened by responding to false alarms.
"A lot of the measures we're speaking about are controlled by state Legislature. Any law that's enacted won't go into effect until Sept. 2007," stresses Glenn White with the Dallas Police Association.
"This has to be addressed quickly."
Charlotte, N.C. and Phoenix are among the places alarm companies point to as shining examples of cities that reduced the number of false alarms answered by police without verified response.
According to reports, Charlotte reduced response calls to false alarms by 72 percent using the proposed changes and Bethesda, Md. lowered its response to false activations by 50 percent.
Alarm companies say Dallas would be the biggest city in the country to implement verified response, it if it passes.
The alarm industry also is pushing an alternative plan that would depend on changing state law, but supporters of verified response says that would take too long.
Alarm Industry Proposal- Reduce from 3 to 1 the number of free false alarms
- Raise fee for residential alarm permits
- Increase verification calls
- Allow for revocation of permits
A local industry spokesman questions whether the city did enough homework before settling on verified response.
"The alarm industry will have to adjust our private guards. Business would be business as usual – the citizens are going to loose … by lack of police response," adds Stan Martin with the Security Industry Alarm Coalition.
Alarm companies say the cost of hiring private security answer calls will be passed on to customers.
(CBS 11 News)
