The Detroit Police Department no longer responds routinely to house alarms, because 98% of house alarms are false. Detroit Police officers will respond ONLY to house alarms that can be VERIFIED as not being false alarms.
An alarm company must verify that an alarm signal is not a false alarm before DPD will respond. A resident or other person can verify the alarm (see above), or the alarm can be automatically verified if it sends enough information.
DPD recognizes four different ways that an alarm can be automatically verified.
If you have audio or video components that are tied into your alarm, then the alarm company can hear or see an intruder. That is a verified alarm signal. This corresponds to numbers 3 and 4 above.
CASE B: If You Have No Audio / Visual
For an alarm without audio or video components, an alarm must send multiple signals of an intrusion to be verified for the DPD. This corresponds to numbers 1 and 2 above
In order to send multiple signals, an alarm system must be set up with multiple zones, with each zone having specific sensors in it. For example, one zone might be for one or more exterior doors, and another zone might be for one or more interior motion detectors.
How do I know if my alarm system set up to provide these multiple signals?
IF YOUR SYSTEM CANNOT PROVIDE ENOUGH INFORMATION, then it can be up-graded to do so.
TIP: Dusing Security Service will monitor your alarm for free when you are a patrol subscriber. If you need a system upgrade, you may want to investigate having DSS do it and get free alarm monitoring.
If your alarm company calls to tell you your alarm is going off, DO NOT CALL 911 to report a break-in. If the alarm company can verify the alarm, they will call 911.
If you cannot verify it visually and in person, and if this is a false alarm, then calling 911 is a "false report". Beware! DPD says it will not hesitate to fine homeowners for making false reports.
Provided by Dusing Security Service
Yes. Dusing Security Service patrols will respond to any alarm of any subscriber.
Boston Edison gets no financial benefits from DSS. We selected DSS as the patrol company for Boston Edison, because residents wanted to have a patrol service. We all get more protection from having more patrol hours. That is the only reason that Boston Edison encourages residents to do business with DSS.
BE SURE that you have given your alarm company the phone number for the DSS patrol (subscribers only). This gives you even more value from your DSS subscription.
ALSO, if there is an intrusion in progress, DSS probably will scare away the intruders. DSS has been responsible for the capture and arrest of over 40 intruders in Boston Edison over the past four years.
To have DSS in Boston Edison as many hours as possible, we need everyone to subscribe. See our patrol page for full details on the patrol and how to subscribe.
DSS works with the Boston Edison Security Committee to schedule patrols at times for maximum effectiveness. Patrols are scheduled during the times of day when Boston Edison residents are most likely to be away from home, especially during work week daytime hours. The Detroit Police Department confirms that these daytime hours are the best hours to have a patrol on duty here.
Yes. A good idea is for groups of neighbors to get together and agree to respond to each other's alarms.
Anyone who responds to an alarm and who can visually and in person see that there is an intruder can call 911 and provide a verified alarm report. DPD will respond.
NOTE: You will have to verify to 911 that
Groups of neighbors who agree to respond to each other's alarms are a good way to add security for themselves. This would be a great reason to get to know your neighbors and bring them together for a common purpose. Organize a block club!!
Some security companies who monitor alarms also will send a patrol car to check out an alarm.
NOTE: These companies do not continually patrol in Boston Edison, therefore they do not deter crime by being present many hours a week.