Providence Department of Public Safety Providence Police Department

Providence Department of Public Safety, Providence Police Department False Alarm Reduction Strategy

False Alarm Reduction Responsible Parties • • • City of Providence, Law Department City of Providence, Alarm Registration Unit Providence Police Department Providence Department of Telecommunications Alarm Companies

The Problem

Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) Statistics ACTIVE ALARM INSTALLATIONS PER YEAR 50 000 40 000 30 000 20 000 10 000 0 2009 2012 2015 2018 2021 • 38 Million active alarm systems • Roughly 85% of the permitted systems do not require a law dispatch in any give year • Next 8% have only one dispatch per year • Less than 3 -4% of the systems are actual chronic abusers with 4 or more dispatches per year, the vast majority of systems

The Problem • PPD responds to approx. 12, 500 calls for alarm bells each year • 86% of these calls are false alarms • This equivalents into: – 4, 666 man hours/year – 4 ½ months – $228, 000 in costs to the City

Accomplishing Our Goal • A 50% reduction would result in: – 4, 666 man hours → 2, 333 man hours – $228, 000 → $114, 000 of tax payer money • This would allow officers to divert this time to other patrol activities such as: – Foot Patrol – Community Interaction/Policing/Events – Faster Response Times

Providence Police – Calls for Service 9000 8000 *Average 13. 66% total Calls for Service 7000 6000 5000 2012 4000 2013 2014 3000 2000 1000 0 Business Alarm Residential Alarm Panic Alarm Ringing Alarm

Providence Police – Disposition of Alarms 14000 12000 *Average 86% False Alarm outcomes 10000 8000 2012 6000 2013 2014 4000 2000 0 3 FA (False Alarm) 2 NR (No Report) Arrest Report 1 R (Report) Other

Providence Police – False Calls by Alarm Property Types 7000 6000 46. 58% total 35. 62% total 5000 4000 2011 3000 2012 10. 72% total 1000 0 2013 4. 73% total 2. 32% total Commercial Government Business Panic Residential Ringing

Providence Police – Alarm Calls for Service (By Time) ALARM CALLS - TIME BREAKDOWN (YEARLY) ALARM CALLS - TIME BREAKDOWN (2011 -2015 TOTAL) 5000 20000 4500 18000 17944 16000 3500 NUMBER OF ALARM CALLS 4000 18812 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 13500 14000 12000 11884 10000 8000 6000 500 0 12 AM-6 AM 6 AM-12 PM-6 PM 6 PM-12 AM 4000 2011 3215 4255 4056 2712 2012 2936 4070 3957 2592 2013 2508 4203 3961 3402 2014 2264 4445 4179 3396 2015 961 1839 1791 1398 2000 0 All Alarm Calls 12 AM-6 AM 6 AM-12 PM-6 PM 6 PM-12 AM 11884 18812 17944 13500

Providence Police – Total Calls For Service vs. Alarm Calls for Service ALARM CALLS DURING CALLS FOR SERVICE TIMES (2011 -2015 TOTAL) 160000 150856 145027 NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE 140000 120000 100000 84491 81652 80000 60000 40000 20000 0 All Calls Alarm Calls 18812 11884 12 AM-6 AM 81652 11884 6 AM-12 PM 84491 18812 17944 12 PM-6 PM 150856 17944 13500 6 PM-12 AM 145027 13500

Collection Rates • Currently, the city of Providence only collects approx. 58% of the fines due for false alarms (this does not include governmental property) • The problem will only get worse with the increase in alarm installations per year • Part I of the problem is the amount of false alarms we respond to • Part II of the problem is the current collection rates • These problems are driven by a bad non-evolving ordinance and faulty collection system

Providence Police – Collection Rates $60 000, 00 58. 80% $50 000, 00 $40 000, 00 41. 20% $30 000, 00 $20 000, 00 $10 000, 00 $0, 00 2011 2012 2013 Registrations 4700 2870 3560 1950 Police Alarm Fines 48625 24410 48932, 7 31450 Uncollected Fees* 0 8050 26550 23400 *2010 Fees not provided Collected Fees 53325 27280 52492, 7 33400

The Goal The goal of the Providence Police Department False Alarm Reduction Strategy is to make a dramatic improvement in the efficiency of delivering police services without cost to taxpayers. Accomplishing this by reducing needless response to thousands of false alarms by 50% over a 3 -5 year period.

Strategy • Upgrade current alarm ordinance to a nationally recognized method • Use alternative methods to enforce and collect outstanding fines

The Current Ordinance

The Current Ordinance • Providence law requires all establishments must first obtain an alarm permit, before using an alarm. • It is the responsibility of the establishments’ owner to provide a designee who can be contacted 24 hours in case of an emergency. • There is a one time only registration fee of $10

The Current Ordinance cont. • According to Providence law, 3 or more false alarms within a permit year is considered a public nuisance, and warrants a civil penalty. Civil Penalties Third, fourth, and fifth false alarm…. $50. 00 Sixth and Seventh false alarm…. $100. 00 Eighth and Ninth false alarm…$250. 00 Tenth and over false alarms. . $500. 00

Failure to Pay • Civil penalties are usually given a 30 day period in which it can be paid. • Failure to not make payment within 30 days shall result in a discontinuance of responses by Law Enforcement. • Even though we have this Ordinance set in place, our collection rate is under 50%

New Proposed Ordinance

New Proposed Ordinance • For over twelve years the IACP has been an active leader in partnership with the security industry in strategies to reduce alarm dispatches. As a result, nationally, alarm dispatches have been substantially reduced during a time when alarm system installations have more than doubled. • Numerous joint studies have been conducted on alarm management to determine the most effective measures to reduce alarm dispatches.

New Proposed Ordinance • • Enhanced Call Verification (ECV) Requiring Alarm Permits w/ fees Free Responses/Fines Ceasing Response

Enhanced Call Verification (ECV) • A requirement for alarm monitoring centers to make two calls to two different numbers (one typically a cell phone) prior to calling the Communications Center (excluding panic alarms or medical alarms) in an effort to determine the cause of the alarm and whether or not a dispatch is required. – When the alarm industry does not use call verification, 100% of the signals are dispatched – When one call is employed, 75% of all signals are stopped in the monitoring station

Requiring Alarm Permits w/ fees • Registration of alarm systems is beneficial for the effective and efficient management of alarm programs. By recording system owner information you have responsible party documentation for fines/renewals/policy or ordinance change notifications. Nominal fees for registration routinely cover costs associated with administration of these programs. – $35 initial alarm permit fee, and each subsequent

Free Responses/Fines • Setting reasonable fines for alarm dispatches can be a significant deterrent to offenders. Allowing a maximum of two free responses before incurring fines (including to governmental properties). When combined with restricting response to abusers; a reasonable fine structure will accomplish all reduction goals and allow for higher collection rates.

Free Responses/Fines (cont. ) • First and Second alarm – Free • Third false alarm. . . . $100. 00 fine • Fourth false alarm. . . $200. 00 fine • Fifth false alarm. . ………………. . . $400. 00 fine • Sixth and over false alarms……. … $500. 00 fine – Failure to register alarm system. . …. $100. 00 fine • (b) Other Civil Penalty(ies). Violations will be enforced through

Ceasing Response • Law enforcement should stop responding to chronic abusers and non-emergency requests from alarm monitoring companies (excluding panic alarms or medical alarms). It has been determined that many abusers will just “write checks” to cover police response. • Proper notice should be sent to owner/premise/monitoring source with a right to appeal and/or take corrective action for reinstatement.

Outsourcing to another Company • The purpose of outsourcing is for them to be responsible for administration, billing, fine collection, public education/awareness, data collection, and/or alarm software • The two companies that were researched: – Public Safety Corporation (Cry. Wolf) – PMAM (False Alarm Management Solution)

The benefits to Outsourcing another Company (Cry. Wolf) • Cry. Wolf is currently used on an outsourced basis by more than 75 agencies across the United States, many of these large agencies with populations up to 4, 000 that process as many as

What Cry. Wolf Can Offer • There is no start up cost • They do provide software to use in-house • They have an option to start by outsourcing and convert to in-house by using same software • If there’s more profit, they take out less % – If there’s less profit, they take out more %

The benefits to Outsourcing another Company (PMAM) • False Alarm Management Solution (FAMS™) is an effective tool for local public safety agencies struggling to contain the costs associated with residential and commercial security alarm response. Numerous public safety agencies across the US are satisfied users of FAMS™ today. FAMS™ is a total solution that provides the technology, implementation services, and ongoing operational resources to support every user. • • • No investment required from the city Infrastructure costs (hardware, software, etc. ) are eliminated. City has access to numerous reports in real time to this TRUE web based solution Education outreach to citizens increases compliance System accuracy empowers onsite enforcement by officers Internet convenience increases public compliance and satisfaction

What PMAM Can Offer • There is no startup cost for our False Alarm Management Solution (FAMS) Service, PM AM receives it revenue through the collection of any fees, fines, and permits we gather for your City. Typically, we take a minority percentage. In order to better determine this percentage, I would need to send you a spreadsheet at some to have someone collect some key alarm stats. Through PMAM's False Alarm Management

Other Departments…Bridgeport, CT PD • Bridgeport Police uses an in-house alarm management program. They do utilize the IACP model program, they have had a 79% reduction rate without outsourcing, and an 86% collection rate

Other Departments…Montgomery County, MD PD • Montgomery County does not outsource their program. They have a four person team that handles each and every alarm registration, renewal and response fee issued by the county. They do not use the IACP model ordinance. In 2013 almost 86% of alarm users in Montgomery County had zero false alarms in that calendar year. Our dispatch rate for residential users was 0. 15, for commercial users it was 0. 64 and the combined dispatch

Other Departments…Charlotte. Mecklenburg, NC PD • Successful collection rate after adopting crywolflast year - 89. 36% YTD - 95. 83% They accept appeals on fines. Their success rate for client appeals is only 7. 24% Their total to date collected fees over 5 yrs is $17. 8 Million Their alarm ordinance is set up like this -

Providence Department of Public Safety, Providence Police Department Any Questions?