Now in use by 11 police forces, ECHO connectivity is supporting police alarm responses in intruder and hold-up alarm activations at a rate of over 40,000 incidents per year.
According to police estimates, ECHO significantly reduces response times to confirmed alarm activations, saving between one and four minutes once any of the 37 ECHO-connected ARCs (approved Alarm Receiving Centres) validates alarm signals.
Since launching in April 2021, ECHO connectivity signalling intruder and hold-up alarm activations to the police now serves 11 ECHO-connected police forces and over 300,000 police approved alarm systems protecting sites and premises.
In 2022, Essex Police, the Met Police, Avon and Somerset Constabulary, City of London Police and Northumbria Police became ECHO-connected. Early in 2023 they were joined by Bedfordshire Police, Kent Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Northamptonshire Police and Greater Manchester Police.
ECHO is designed to automatically transfer alarm activation signals from the ARCs to police control rooms, replacing legacy manual voice calling procedures, and accelerating ‘stand-down’ of responders where an alarm may be discovered as false prior to police arrival.
Ciaron Irvine, Deputy Chief Constable, Durham Constabulary and NPCC Lead for the Security Systems Group commented: “Having a direct impact on police deployment and effectiveness at a rate of 40,000 incidents a year is no mean feat! The inroads in police control room efficiencies and police responders’ impact at the scene of intruder and hold up incidents in those 11 ECHO-connected forces areas is remarkable.
“Other forces looking closely at how they can get ECHO-connected are encouraged to do so at the earliest opportunity.”
According to the firm, up to a million residential and commercial users of professionally installed Intruder and Hold-up alarm systems (installed by NSI or SSAIB approved installers) are set to benefit as more police forces across the UK get ECHO-connected during 2023 and 2024.
Martin Harvey, Founding Director of ECHO, commented: “Enabling a speedier and more effective alarm response to over 40,000 police response incidents a year is testimony to the impact ECHO is having with just 11 forces ECHO-connected. Looking forward, the countrywide impact is set to be truly remarkable. It justifies the NPCC vision and the security industry’s commitment to delivering improved security in collaboration with the police, assisting efficiency in the deployment of police resources, faster police response and crime deterrence.
“ECHO now supports Intruder and Hold-up police response alarm systems in over 300,000 residential, commercial and public sector sites and buildings offering homeowners, commercial and publicly operated properties of all sizes a greater degree of assurance with speedier and more effective police response. ECHO is standing by to engage with any police force wishing to prioritise its ECHO connection.”
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