NATIONAL SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION
RESOLUTION

MEASURES TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT RESPONSES TO FALSE ALARM

Whereas
One of the critical concerns of law enforcement private security administration should be to address the problem of false alarms in their jurisdictions; and

Whereas
About 90 percent of all alarm calls made to police are false or unfounded, and in many jurisdictions those calls constitute 10 to 25 percent of all law enforcement calls for services; and

Whereas
The number of false alarms is growing along with the number of alarm systems in use, thereby taking law enforcement away from real emergencies and making each alarm system less reliable, credible and valuable; and

Whereas
Professionally installed and monitored alarm systems are useful instruments to deter crime and provide peace of mind for residential and business users of those systems; and

Whereas
This is a national problem (with both national and local solutions) that warrants the interest and concern of N.S.A;

Resolved
That the National Sheriffs' Association will continue through the efforts of the Private Security Committee and the nations numerous Alarm Associations to study the false alarm problem; and

Resolved
That the National Sheriffs' Association recommends that false alarms remain an issue for the Private Security Committee and that the Private Security Committee work with the state Sheriffs' Associations and the alarm industry to stimulate state and local level initiatives to reduce the problem; and

Further Resolved
That the National Sheriffs' Association urges our Sheriff's Office/Sheriff's Department to attempt to reduce their alarm response workload by considering various options, some of which could include the following: