The new policy will impact on all aspects of security, from customers and installers
to monitoring centres, panel manufacturers and signalling suppliers. It will be vital
to ensure that the customer and any key-holders are fully trained in the use of their
system.

Overall the changes will raise the profile of the industry. Assuming the changes are
successfully implemented, there will be benefits for all concerned in the long
term. As police response effectiveness is improved, so the whole credibility of
security systems will be enhanced.

The new policy focuses on the minority of systems that cause the majority of false
calls.

Confirmed Activations
Firstly, the policy will require all new systems installed from 1st October 2001 to be
capable of sending confirmed activations. From this date (or earlier for any systems
that require police response re-instated following withdrawal due to poor alarm
history) police response will be dependent on the ARC receiving an activation that
has been confirmed by either sequential, audio or visual verification. All of the
RedCARE portfolio is capable of sending confirmed activations as well as
providing a path for audio or visual verification.

New Thresholds
Secondly, the thresholds have been amended to focus on systems that are the
subject of repeat false alarms. Two false calls in 12 months will result in police
response being reduced to level 2. Following five false calls in 12 months (or three
in the West Midlands police force area), police response will be withdrawn. To
apply for police response to be restored, the occupier or the security company can
apply in writing following 3 months free of false calls.

This letter must contain:-

Supporting evidence that the system has been free of false calls
Evidence that the original cause of the problem has been identified and
corrected plus a Statement that system has been upgraded so that only confirmed
activations will be forwarded to the police

Implementation
Although the policy was launched on 1st January 2001, implementation dates,
false alarm thresholds and how these will be applied will vary by regional police
force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In some cases this is due to changes
in IT systems that will be required to support the administration of the new policy.
However, all new systems installed after 1st October 2001 will have to be designed
to send confirmed activations.

This means that security companies will very quickly need to come to grips with
the implementation plans of each of the police force areas in which they install
systems in order to ensure continuing police response for their customers.