Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Richmond County Sheriff’s Office implement the Verified Response to Burglar Alarms?
The Verified Response procedure was implemented due to the high false burglar alarm rate causing inefficient use of patrol resources.
From 2018 to 2021, approximately 83,000 alarm activations were reported to the Richmond County 911 Center. The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responds to about 20,000 burglar alarms annually, 98.9% of which are false. Of the reported incidents, an intruder was almost never found at the residence.
What Does Verify Mean?
"Verify or verified” means visual or audible confirmation of an attempted or actual crime in progress at the alarm site by means of:
- Confirmation by the alarm user at the alarm site or via self-monitored audio/visual equipment.
- Audible and/or visual evidence provided by a monitored alarm system.
- An eyewitness (visual on-scene verification of a break-in).
If you don't respond to burglar alarms, will residents become crime victims in their own homes?
Burglar alarms are designed to protect property, not people. Manually activated alarms such as panic, duress, and robbery ARE designed to protect people. We will continue to respond to these alarms, and they will continue to be given the highest priority.
Why don't we charge the alarm companies for false alarms and let them collect from the customer?
Effective May 3, 2021, (GA House Bill 465), Alarm companies can only be fined when the false alarm is attributed to an error of the alarm system contractor, improper installation by the alarm system contractor, or if the alarm system contractor cannot provide evidence of telephone logs, other electronic means, or visual evidence that the alarm verification process as provided in Code Section 35-1-9 was followed. The majority of activated false alarms are caused by users/human error.
Can My Neighbors Verify an Alarm?
Yes. Anyone who can visually see that there is an intruder can call 911 and report a burglary in progress.
Are there locations that do not require an activated alarm to be verified?
Yes. Locations that could be considered to have the best interest of the community as a whole do not require verification. These locations are Gun Shops, Financial Institutions, Government Owned Property, and Pharmaceutical Companies.
What you can do to Minimize False Alarms
Read your Operator’s Manual.
Ensure you have been adequately trained and had all your questions answered by the Alarm Technician.
Review alarm activation/deactivation procedures with employees and/or family members.
Install reliable alarm equipment and make sure it is properly serviced and maintained.
At home:
Avoid objects that trigger your alarm:
- Unlocked, loose-fitting, or open doors or windows. Always keep doors and windows locked when the alarm is in an "ON" mode to reduce the chance that friends, neighbors, or customers enter and cause the alarm to activate.
- Unsupervised pets - If you have pets, take special care to purchase an alarm system that is tolerant of pets. You may not want to purchase motion detectors if your pets have free run of the house when the alarm is on. Also, sometimes barking dogs can activate glass break detectors.
- Balloons that move can cause motion sensors to go off.
- Drafts that move plants and curtains.
- Thunderstorms should not be a common cause for alarm activations.
At your business:
Watch for these pitfalls that may activate your alarm:
- Swinging doors or windows
- Banners or signs
- Mylar balloons
- Plants or curtains caught in drafts
- Stacked items, such as boxes, which may fall, setting off motion detectors
- Unsupervised guests
- Untrained, unaware, or uncaring employees
- Alarm equipment, such as motion sensors or overhead door magnets, being hit by forklifts
Know what to do if you set your alarm off accidentally:
- First, don't panic. Carefully enter your disarm code to reset your system.
- Wait for your Alarm Company or central monitoring station to call, and give your password or ID card number.
- Do not leave your home or business until you have talked with your monitoring station. If they do not call you, have the number posted by your control panel and contact them to cancel the police dispatch.
- You can arrange to have your alarm monitoring station call you or another designated person before the police are called whenever your alarm is activated.
Additional questions about “Verified Response” can be directed to Captain Danny Whitehead, Field Operations Bureau.
Office – (706) 821-1047
Email - dwhitehead@augustaga.gov