While warnings make Chicken Little seem more reliable at times,
the prevalence of business and home security systems continue to keep police and
thieves on their toes.
As of December, Jackson police responded to 1,295 alarms. But
only 29 of those – or 2 percent – turned out to be a burglary, theft or
vandalism case.
The remainder are false alarms, where human error is involved,
or simply unknown due to technical glitches.
Despite the disparity, those numbers are expected to drop as
technological advancements make security systems more efficient, security
experts say. Meanwhile those calls are treated as break-ins in progress, which
means two patrol units are sent as officers prepare for a potential encounter
with a burglar.
The sense of relief, if not adrenaline deflation, is palpable
for patrol officers, who might respond to a half-dozen alarm calls a week, a
department spokesman said.
“With an alarm, because we get so many of them, you have to
fight the urge to become complacent and you have to treat it as a break-in in
progress,” said Lt. John Holda, Jackson Police Department.
While the mere percussion of a rumbling thunderstorm have set
off a symphony of alarms, motion detectors have actually improved, Holda said.
The president and CEO of Jackson-based Comtronics agreed.
“Back in the old days, a spider might have set it off,” said
John A. Campau of Comtronics, whose company has 6,000 customers in eight states.
About 1,000 of those with Comtronics systems are banks. “Now you have the
ability to set the sensitivity of motion detectors up or down.”
“It’s a fun business to be in. The equipment is 10 times better
than 15 years ago.”
To curb the frequency of false calls, security companies like
Comtronics are more involved in teaching customers how to operate alarm
systems.
Companies are also taking advantage of technological advances
such as motion detectors that trigger live video feeds, which are transmitted to
the alarm company to confirm a break-in.
Pan, tilt and zoom cameras not only allow the capture of an
intruders’s likeness, but also vehicle license plates.
Software upgrades have enabled security companies to pinpoint
and monitor where frequent alarm signals are occurring so they can be
repaired.
Comtronics recently spent $500,000 for enhanced monitoring
software, partly to serve its banking clients.
“They have very little tolerance for false alarms,” Campau
said.
City and townships allow for occasional human error. However,
business and home owners are fined for continual false alarms.
In Jackson, three or more false calls in one year results in a
$25 charge. The penalty goes up to $50 if the number goes beyond six.
Warning letters are sent before fines kick in, Holda
said.
–Reach reporter Larry O’Connor at 768-4926 or
loconnor@citpat.com
Reprinted with permission from The Jackson Citizen
Patriot
Copyright January 2004 | 
