Police Response to Security Systems
LANPAC are often asked how companies can avoid being taken off
police response to security systems. The answer is really very simple:
have a strict rule for dealing with
security system activations:
EVERY security system activation must be considered a
major incident and notified to a SENIOR manager for his/her attention.
As soon as a company is taken off police response the top management,
often the MD, gets involved and writes letters to the Chief Constable,
Home Secretary and/or others. Unfortunately, whilst you may feel
better having had your say, these letters will not get you back on
police response.
However, if just a little of this energy had been used BEFORE
your company was taken off response then the problem should have
been avoided. Each and every security system activation must be dealt
with as a major incident (you can be assured that removal from police
response will be a major incident) and appropriate enquiries made.
The Senior Manager must make it his/her business to find out
why the security system was activated.
Questions asked at this level focus the minds of the staff and
show them just how seriously the company takes this issue.
If staff error - TAKE ACTION NOW! Retrain as necessary
to avoid a recurrence. Ensure that ALL your staff understand
just how important the security system is to your company’s survival.
If a fault on the system - TAKE ACTION NOW!
Inform your alarm company and ask them what they are doing to
ensure that the fault is repaired. Get a response from them in writing.
If a genuine activation - TAKE ACTION NOW! Are you sure that the police
officers who attended have logged it as a genuine alarm?
If any doubt then ring the Lancashire Constabulary Security Manager on
01772 412125 to confirm.
If doors or windows were left open - TAKE ACTION NOW!
Ensure that ALL your staff understands just how important the
security system is to your company’s survival.
If the cause was vermin, birds or pets moving around - TAKE ACTION NOW!
Get in a specialist vermin control company if necessary.
If a pet activated the system then remove your pets OR ask your
Alarm Company to make it impossible for your pets to set off the
system again.
If the activation was thought false but later turns out to
have been genuine - TAKE ACTION NOW!
Ring Lancashire Constabulary on 0845 1 25 35 45 and notify
the police that this was a genuine activation.
BUT you must find out what caused the activation
NOW so that you can take remedial action NOW.
Waiting until you lose police response before doing something
is not an effective option.
|
