The growing prevalence of video alarm verification technology may be making the abstract “peace of mind” concept a little more tangible and less of a sales pitch. This is particularly true in areas where “Verified Response” policies have been enacted, where law enforcement agencies will not respond to an alarm unless eyewitness accounts and/or video cameras can verify that an incident has taken place.
While verified response can help streamline a police reaction, they do not exactly provide the elusive peace of mind for business owners looking to secure their retail stores. This is where video alarm verification presents an interesting opportunity for security dealers.
Case in Point: Retail
At around 2 a.m., this January, two unidentified men broke into Smok’n Hot Vapors electronic cigarette shop in Henderson, Nev., by smashing a window. One burglar waited outside, standing guard, while the other looted the store.
“I don’t think they were after anything in particular,” says Ann Tevelde, the store’s owner. “They just came in and tried to take everything they could find.”
In three and a half minutes, the intruders emptied the cash drawer and smashed display cases, taking valuable merchandise; however, they did not realize they had been caught by a Honeywell video alarm verification security system, which instantly pushed video of the break-in as well as the burglary signal to a central station. The central station was able to visually verify there were intruders in the building and dispatched police instantly. There were no guessing games. This led to a police chase and successful capture of one of the burglars.
The system had been installed only five months prior by American Video & Security (AVS), a security systems integrator based in Las Vegas. Because the store was new, it had no existing security system and needed something that would protect the business and address a verified alarm ordinance by the Henderson Police Department.
“We’re seeing more departments in many of our markets put this policy into place when their manpower is strapped,” says Nicola Oakie, general manager of AVS. “Henderson’s police force is small, so we needed a system which could bring them to a threatening issue quickly and efficiently. The only way to do this was to provide actual proof that a threat was taking place.”
Intruder-Based Design
AVS worked with the family business to identify structural weak points and install a cost-effective solution in the store which would quickly alert police in an emergency. “We design our systems based on how a break-in might take place and where a burglar might go,” Oakie explains. “That way, police can see that a burglar is indeed inside a business and moving about.”
Jennifer Tagle, a video verification specialist with AVS, recommended that Tevelde install Honeywell Security’s Performance Series HRGX DVR with I-View Now’s video verification Service. The cameras continuously record footage and can be reviewed by both Tevelde and the central monitoring station in real time. Instant video alarm verification also allows central station operators to virtually go back in time to see action captured before the alarm, a huge advancement over pre-alarm images. Most importantly, it can be relayed to police — ensuring the Henderson Police Department would respond.
At the time of the installation, two of the store’s neighboring suites were vacant — a more-vulnerable spot burglars use to break into businesses. As an additional precaution, AVS installed Honeywell motion detectors and glass detection along two glass walls running along the glass-paned front and side of the store.
Put into Practice
The morning of the burglary, the system sent a real-time alert to the central monitoring station and Tevelde when the burglars set off glass-break detectors, followed by the cameras as soon as one entered the store. The cameras recorded the entire incident.
“In a regular ‘blind burglar system,’ all [the central monitoring station] would have received is signals,” Oakie explains. “In our jurisdiction, we would have had to go through multiple steps to confirm it was an actual intruder threat. Per standard operating procedure, the central monitoring station would have had to contact the owner to see if it was a false alarm, followed by dispatching a guard to confirm the burglary before even contacting the police department. This time alone would have allowed the burglars to get away.”
This traditional system also presents difficulties when the end-user is not available. Unable to reach Tevelde the night of the burglary, the central monitoring station relayed the incident directly to police. “My phone was off when the event took place,” Tevelde says. “They immediately knew that something was happening, so although they couldn’t reach me, they were able to dispatch police to my store and continued to contact me until I was able to respond.”
More important than ever in areas with “Verified Response” policies – technology that aids police to arrive quickly at a scene is a peace-of-mind point for businesses that need help during a burglary. “The instant relaying of the event is really what helped police catch the burglars,” Tevelde says. “Under normal circumstances all we would have received is multiple signals, and the guard service would have been there in 25 minutes. But in this instance, the technology speaks for itself. It really does what it’s designed to do.”
Oakie says that as more police departments require verification before they respond, end-users are becoming more aware of the fact that they need instant verification to secure their businesses.
Addressing the Bottom Line
Technology like video alarm verification differentiates itself as an actual business asset — and not just for its ability to keep money from walking out the door in the form of stolen merchandise. In Tevelde’s case, she also uses it to improve customer service. She watches recorded video several times a week to keep track of the shop while she is away. Her daughter and son-in-law often use the mobile app to keep track of employees’ activities, including checking in on Tevelde while she is there.
“It really keeps everyone in check. I have found the cameras to be extremely useful, especially with so many of my employees running the shop late at night,” Tevelde notes.
In true family-business fashion, Tevelde works hard to foster a customer-service oriented environment in her store. If they receive a complaint, Tevelde immediately asks for the date and time of the event and checks the cameras to see who was working that day. Tevelde says this allows her to work with her employees to address issues and provide a better customer experience.
With “Verified Response” policies increasingly becoming the norm, dealers need to be aware of which markets enforce these policies and proactively work with end-users to find the best solution. In the end, advancements in video alarm verification technology could offer one way for security dealers to make “peace of mind” less of a marketing term and more of a reality.
