South Carolina Department Wins Award for False Alarm Reductions

The Rock Hill (S.C.) Police Department was presented the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) Directors' Award of Distinction at a recent Rock Hill City Council meeting. The award recognized the outstanding successes of Rock Hill’s Alarm Management Program in reducing alarm dispatches throughout the city. The program developed jointly by the police department, the alarm industry and SIAC included the development of an alarm ordinance, initial and continuing community education, as well as continuing assessment and monitoring of the program.

In 2005, Rock Hill Police responded to 5,431 alarm-related calls for service. That number dropped to 3,857 in 2007, a reduction of 1,574 calls, or a 29 percent reduction in dispatches, in less than two years. “We’re pleased with the decrease in alarm dispatches in just a short period of time and anticipate additional reductions during 2008,” said Capt. Charles Cabaniss, the police department’s executive lead in the program.

“This reduction is even more impressive considering the growth we’re experiencing in Rock Hill, not only in new residences and businesses, but in the number of existing locations installing new alarms,” said Rock Hill City Manager Carey Smith, noting the police department’s annual increases in alarm registrations.

Chief John Gregory added, “The time we’ve saved by the reduction in these calls has almost equated to an additional officer, giving our officers more time to devote to Community Policing activities, and also results in shorter response times to calls for service.” Chief Gregory, who also serves as Chairman of the South Carolina Police Chiefs Association’s Alarm Management Committee, said, “We worked on our Alarm Management Program as a Community Problem Oriented Policing Project, which involved the stakeholders from the alarm industry, other city departments, and our community; which we attribute to our initial success.”