Tag: false alarms
Knightscope now selling Automated Gunshot Detection
December 5, 2023Ken Showers, Managing Editor
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Knightscope, a developer of autonomous security robots (ASRs) and blue light emergency communication systems, announced the availability of its Automated Gunshot Detection (AGD) systems for both indoor and outdoor environments.
Knightscope revealed that its AGD is now available as stand-alone sensors easily mounted to existing structures or with the optional pole-mounting kit and solar power for installation flexibility. In the coming weeks, Knightscope said...
ADT shares July 4th safety tips
July 3, 2023SSN Staff
BOCA RATON, Fla. – The 4th of July is right around the corner and while some people are already dreaming of fireworks and barbecue, ADT has shared some handy tips to keep you safe and secure during the holiday.
Independence Day, despite its celebratory nature, is a lightning rod for less savory activities and a variety of accidents. Crime rates have been observed to spike around holidays and that makes it a busy time of year for ADT. As Senior Director of Monitoring James Walsh puts it,...
Alarm.com announces Smart Arming feature
December 5, 2022SSN Staff
TYSONS, Va. – Alarm.com has announced its first-to-market Smart Arming feature that can intelligently auto-arm and disarm based on user activity.
Smart Arming was named a CES 2023 Innovation Awards Honoree by going beyond scheduled arming and disarming and intelligently adapting to daily routine. Alarm.com says that Smart Arming is quick and intuitive to setup with users choosing the time of day they want their system armed and disarmed. From there users can go about their...
Appeals Court upholds Sandy Springs ordinance fining alarm companies
July 22, 2020SSN Staff
FRISCO, Texas—The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a controversial ordinance enacted by the city of Sandy Springs, Ga., that fines alarm companies for false alarm generated by their customers.
The Georgia Electronic Life Safety & Systems Association (GELSSA), A-Com Security Co. LLP and Safecom Security Solutions Inc. were the plaintiffs in the case.
The legal challenge was organized by the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC), which has managed all aspects of the effort,...
AvantGuard links false alarm spike with presidential alert
October 10, 2018Spencer Ives
OGDEN, Utah—Last week, on Oct. 3, there was a test of the Presidential Alert system, which went out to televisions and radio as well as mobile phones. AvantGuard Monitoring, based here, noticed that there was a spike of false alarms—including glass break sensors and PERS button presses—linked to the test.
“Oftentimes, [when] we see a spike in a certain kind of alarms, they're related to a storm or a localized natural disaster, and it generally affects a certain type...
New California bill protects alarm companies from false alarm fines
August 23, 2017Spencer Ives
MARINA DEL REY, Calif.—California Gov. Jerry Brown on July 31 signed AB 1616 by Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian into law, bringing false alarm fines to the alarm permit holders, not alarm companies, unless the alarm company is responsible.“This bill would prohibit an alarm company operator or an alarm agent from being liable for civil penalties and fines assessed by a city, county, or city and county for false alarms not attributed to alarm company operator error, improper installation of...
The approach to false alarms
August 23, 2017Spencer Ives
Here at Security Systems News, we cover a variety of topics related to the physical security industry. As a result, we get to track trends in the industry; we see when they first come up and we see when they become more prevalent. The matter of false alarms is one that I can say I've been watching since I started with SSN.
Some municipalities have sought to fine alarm companies for users' false alarms. In late 2014, shortly after I joined the publication, I was speaking with the Security Industry...
Sandy Springs considers fining dealers for false alarms
July 12, 2017Paul Ragusa
The new Sandy Springs, Ga. alarm ordinance, which is set to be voted on July 18, is alarming many in the security industry as it looks to force alarm dealers to pay their subscriber's false alarm fees and fines.
“This makes as much sense as a car rental company being responsible for paying your speeding tickets if you get caught speeding in their car,” Dan Gordon, president of the Georgia Electronic Life Safety and Security Association (GELSSA), and owner of Ga.-based Gordon Security,...
New Orleans looks toward CryWolf
September 23, 2015Spencer Ives
New Orleans is looking at outsourcing its false alarm fine management and collections to CryWolf False Alarm Solution from Maryland-based Public Safety Corp, according to a report from The Times - Picayune for Greater New Orleans.
This particularly interested me because, just last week, I spoke with SIAC's executive director, Stan Martin, about the process of automating false alarm fine collections, following a report that Pittsburgh was considering it.
When talking with Martin he said it was a great...
Chico revises ordinance, stops fining alarm companies
April 8, 2015Spencer Ives
In October, the City of Chico, Calif., passed an ordinance to fine alarm companies for false alarm dispatches. The California Alarm Association and SIAC responded, citing precedence in Fontana, Calif., where a similar ordinance was overturned. Now, the City of Chico has opted toward the standard action of fining alarm users for false alarms.
Jon Sargent in November told Security Systems News that SIAC remained available to help revise the ordinance.
SIAC is pleased with the outcome, Stan Martin,...