CoC alarm changes for 2017

[speedog]

CoC alarm changes for 2017 (link) - is this a big deal or not?

[dj_rice]

It makes sense. We already pay for permits in Edmonton. Its $30 up here.

[rage2]

It is if your alarm company doesn't contract out a security company to deal with alarms.

[ShermanEF9]

im shocked it didn't come sooner.

[J-hop]

Only real change is the fee and potentially stiffer fines for false alarms as far as I can tell. You already have to permit your alarm or police will not respond as per Calgary alarm bylaw section 25 subsection 3e.


http://www.calgary.ca/CA/city-clerks...rmServices.pdf

[speedog]

Originally posted by rage2
It is if your alarm company doesn't contract out a security company to deal with alarms.

So how many alarm companies in Calgary have their own rolling security people or contract out for such services versus companies that defer to the CPS? Also, are there alarm companies that do neither?

[roopi]

Originally posted by speedog


So how many alarm companies in Calgary have their own rolling security people or contract out for such services versus companies that defer to the CPS? Also, are there alarm companies that do neither?

Not sure how many but mine does and it costs me $5.00/month

[ExtraSlow]

Doesn't matter who responds, the thieves will be long gone.

[roll_over]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Doesn't matter who responds, the thieves will be long gone.

Had one of our site assistants unlock the door and walk in to a house protected by Vivint a few weeks ago to drop off some materials. I guess the alarm when off immediately and no one showed up in the hour he was there unloading materials and shovelling the walkway.

[dj_rice]

Originally posted by roll_over




Had one of our site assistants unlock the door and walk in to a house protected by Vivint a few weeks ago to drop off some materials. I guess the alarm when off immediately and no one showed up in the hour he was there unloading materials and shovelling the walkway.

Must not be paying a monitoring fee anymore. Cause I had the opposite when I set my Vivint alarm, drove to work and accidentally opened my garage door. Called me within a minute, and when I didn't answer, they dispatched Centurion Security to sit outside my house till I found out I set it off an hour later.

I seen the time slip of when Centurion arrived and although it wasn't instant, it was 15-20 mins after being set off.

[J-hop]

^ yea I've set the glass break detectors off once and our company called within 30 seconds.

[brandon]

Originally posted by roll_over




Had one of our site assistants unlock the door and walk in to a house protected by Vivint a few weeks ago to drop off some materials. I guess the alarm when off immediately and no one showed up in the hour he was there unloading materials and shovelling the walkway.

They likely called the key holder of the account and they verified it was all good, or they video verified you with one of the likely cameras on the house.

Once a zone is in alarm, the computer auto-dials the first key holder and goes down the list until someone picks up. Once a voice is heard it's transferred to an operator.

That being said some accounts are setup to only call once they detect a two zone breach. (To prevent false alarms)

[ExtraSlow]

OK, the phone call happens pretty fast. but how long until some kind of response unit arrives at the address?

[brandon]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
OK, the phone call happens pretty fast. but how long until some kind of response unit arrives at the address?

There are way too many variables to pin down for that question, the biggest thing is how busy the responding police force is that night, if they have XX amount of calls on the go right now and a one or two zone alarm call comes through, you can bet it's not immediate response.

But if you have a zone that's set as a panic/hold up.. (usually on residential stuff they setup a police button directly on the keypad)

Then those return far greater response as it's catergorized as a live immediate call.

Hope that helps!

[killramos]

So what's stopping you from calling the police yourself after receiving the alarm phone call and checking a camera to verify someone is inside?

Bet the response time is quick enough if you do that rather than rely on the alarm company?

Always helps to say you saw a gun.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by killramos
So what's stopping you from calling the police yourself after receiving the alarm phone call and checking a camera to verify someone is inside?

Bet the response time is quick enough if you do that rather than rely on the alarm company?

Always helps to say you saw a gun.

Could vary from insurance company to insurance company but mine would not give a discount unless our system was monitored.

[ExtraSlow]

Back when I had a monitored alarm, the insurance discount was $40 per year, so hardly worth mentioning. I cancelled the alarm service ages ago, and haven't missed it. Still have the stickers on the windows and the sign in the yard, which is probably most of the value of the alarm anyway.

[killramos]

Sorry I'm just saying if you really want them to respond to an alarm you can just call it in yourself which would probabaly increase the chance of them showing up in a timely manner.

I have a monitored alarm, kindof a useless POS but it's there just for peace of mind for the wife. I got off my contract a few months ago but honestly I don't feel like anyone else out there is cheap enoughand/or offers a good enough product to bother switching from adt.

Signs and audible alarm is just about making your place a less desirable target than your unprotected neighbor next door. Same reason I always try to park next to a car nicer than mine haha.

So this permit, is this something I need to get or does my alarm company apply for it on my behalf?

[J-hop]

Yea ours is for piece of mind as well. I know the chances of it deterring a serious criminal are small but it will likely deter crimes of opportunity. Low level scum might think twice before targeting my house.

Originally posted by killramos

So this permit, is this something I need to get or does my alarm company apply for it on my behalf?

The permit is not a new thing. The permit itself has been required since at least 1999 as per the alarm bylaw. As it stands police would have not responded to your alarm regardless of the new fees. Your company may have a contracted security company though.

You must apply for it yourself and must provide key holder names to call in the event they cannot reach you. This is applied for through the Calgary alarm bylaw unit. Your company should have provided you with a permit to fill out when they installed the alarm. The tech that came to our house didn't even know how to fill it out and we had ours rejected the first time because He told us incorrect information.

You can also get the permit application below:

http://www.calgary.ca/cps/Pages/Publ...nd-bylaws.aspx

[killramos]

^ Yea my wife had the alarm setup i have nothing to do with it hence the question. Im sure she signed all the shit when we signed up with Jordan's guy.

The only time i ever intervened was earlier in 2016 when the contract expired and they wanted me to sign a new 3 year contract in exchange for 2 dollars off a month

yea i will go month to month thanks idiots.