Tag: Akron

AKRON, Ohio—A new policy set to take effect here in March requires security alarms to verify criminal activity prior to police response.Like similar actions in other cities, the policy has its camps of proponents and detractors, and its reception puts into sharp relief some competing philosophies about how to manage false alarms and provide the most effective strategies for response.Not only that: The debate raises fundamental questions about the value proposition of alarm systems in general....

Plagued by an astronomical 98 percent false alarm rate for security systems, Akron, Ohio is following the lead of several other major American cities and introducing verified alarm response, according to a report from the Associated Press, and a news release from Sonitrol, an audio verification company. The policy, adopted in larger cities such as Detroit, Las Vegas and Milwaukee, is simple: If an alarm goes off, a possible crime must be confirmed prior to law enforcement dispatch. There are several...