NSI commissions research into automated alarms

This month the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) has commissioned a study that will examine the public benefits of automated alarms.

Perpetuity Research will produce the study, titled Maximising the public benefits of automated alarms.

Richard Jenkins, Chief Executive, NSI

The NSI’s chief executive Richard Jenkins said: “The well proven URN1 police response process has long been a great unsung mainstay in private-public sector collaboration, and over the last 10-15 years has contributed dramatically to public safety, and increasing efficiency for police at a time when pressures on resources have never been higher.”

However as technology improves, according to Jenkins there are opportunities for moving the success of the police unique reference number (URN) to the next level. The study will aim to identify all the possibilities from canvassing all stakeholders, and will also envision the added benefits that could be achieved from further enhancement.

In accordance with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) policy, police in the UK will only offer a response to verified alarm signals from systems which have been granted a Police unique reference number, so the Police aim to provide an effective response to genuine intruder alarms. Monitored systems can only be installed by certificated providers and must be subject to a maintenance agreement.

In 2002/3 NSI appointed Perpetuity Research to produce a report on the causes of false alarms, which subsequently became an important reference point for policy and communication, within the security sector and the police service.

“We are very excited now 15 years on to be re-visiting the police response model, and helping define how a modern technology can build further on the success to date,” Jenkins added.

Professor Martin Gill, director of Perpetuity Research said: “It is our belief that this independent piece of work can help bring clarity to the table and inform the debate about how further success in police URN can be delivered in the interests of public safety, protection of people and property, and police savings.”

The findings from the study will be organised on a fast track basis with an initial report available in spring/early summer 2018.

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