SIA, webinar to tackle L.A. non-response policy

July 10, 2003 ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The Security Industry Association will address Los Angeles Police Department’s non-response policy in a live webinar next week, two days after the policy is tentatively scheduled to take effect. Jerry Lenander of the California Alarm Association and George Gunning, vice president of the NBFAA and past president of CAA, will present "Dispelling the Myths of False Alarms: A Case Study of the LA Non-Response Issue" at 2 p.m EDT next Thurs., July 17. Lenander said the focus of the webinar will be on the lessons learned from the Los Angeles situation, as well as on the findings of the City of Los Angeles Burglar Alarm Task Force, which was appointed to review the policy. Under the LAPD policy, police will no longer respond to unverified burglar alarms. What Lenander said has been forgotten in all this is the issue of public safety, which he said is why people have alarm systems installed in the first place. "It’s really all about public safety," he said. "False alarms are a negative side effect of a very positive partnership of public and private entities. Somehow, we’ve lost sight of our purpose and it became just about reducing false alarms." The price for the webinar is currently $125, but Lenander said he would like to see that price reduced for this event. "We want to make it more of a public service," he said. "Our goal is to let as many people as possible have access to this." For information or to register, go to www.siaonline.org.