A document outlining a strategy for the future of intruder alarm system design and installation has been launched by the British Security Industry Association's Security Systems Section at IFSEC 2005.
The strategy, which has been compiled by BSIA intruder alarm installation and monitoring companies, sets out their aims and objectives to improve intruder alarm system design and performance by embracing new technology, thereby reducing false alarms passed to the police.
"We have seen numerous Police policies, insurance guidelines and end-user requirements over the last few years, but what has been missing is a document that outlines the intruder alarm company perspective," commented Steve Kimber, Chairman of the BSIA's Security Systems Section.
"There has been a 60% reduction in false calls passed to the Police in the last decade and a lot of credit must go to the security industry for this. We believe that the performance of systems can be improved further and our strategy outlines how BSIA security systems companies intend to achieve this.
"If we can implement our strategy effectively, gaining the support of third parties, we should see more arrests of intruders, more effective use of Police manpower, greater alarm user efficiency, a reduction in insurance claims and the opportunity to bring more offenders to justice."
The BSIA Intruder Alarm System Strategy outlines a number of key objectives including: maintaining high standards, reducing the number of aged systems, meeting more stringent inspections, recommending action to third parties, and improving: system design, equipment design, signaling to ARCs, data to the Police, service and diagnostics, and the performance of personal attack systems. The strategy also contains a proposal to abolish external sounders, reflecting the requirements of the new Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act.
Action required from third parties includes: funding to provide trained and qualified staff, reduction of VAT on type A domestic systems, the capacity for electronic data to be transferred to a centralised police command and control centre, a national Police alarm data management system, and enforcement of a unified ACPO Policy.
The BSIA Intruder Alarm Systems Strategy can be downloaded from www.bsia.co.uk/download.html.
