ACPO Policy

POLICE RESPONSE TO INTRUDER ALARMS - CHANGES TO THE ACPO POLICY.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 2009

The following amendment to the 'ACPO Policy' on 'Police Response to Security Systems' will be enforced from april 2009. It will have significant consequences for the end users of monitored intruder alarms that require immediate police response. Currently there are three levels of Police Response, however, when the new policy is introduced, there will only be two levels (please refer to the table below).

To ease the transition from old to new policy, the BSIA had requested ACPO to ask all Police Forces to zero their counts of existing false alarm activations as at 31st March this year. After consideration of this request ACPO have made the following decision:

“As of april 2009 the count on all systems currently with false activations will have two false alarms deducted. However, this is only likely to take place in those forces whose command and control systems can do this. It is expected that other forces whose control systems cannot implement this will zero the false alarm count.”

For the end users of monitored intruder alarms it is suggested that if you have not already been informed by the respective police service, that you contact them and request clear guidance on the course of action being taken, and a statement on how this specifically affects your property portfolio.
Further information can be found at: www.acpo.police.uk

REVISED ACPO POLICY - EFFECTIVE APRIL 2009

POLICE ATTENDANCE - Type A Security Systems
For Type A security systems there are two levels of police response.

LEVEL 1 – Immediate/Urgent
It should be noted that police response is ultimately determined by the nature of demand, priorities and resources which exist at the time a request for police response is received.

LEVEL 3 – Withdrawn
No Police attendance, keyholder response only.

Following two false calls in 12 months the customer will be advised in writing, with a copy being forwarded to the maintaining alarm company, informing them of the situation and recommending urgent remedial action.

Following three false calls in 12 months LEVEL 3 will apply and police response will be withdrawn, not less than fourteen days from the date of the Withdrawal letter. The customer will be advised in writing with a copy to the maintaining company, who will be required to instruct the ARC/RVRC not to pass alarm messages to the police.