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Burglar Alarm Activation Response Training For Security www.privateofficer.com
Burglar Alarm Activation Response Training For Security http://www.privateofficer.com
While in some areas it’s just another add on service to have stationary guard posts or a roving patrol of a business, church or home, in other areas it’s a must have for people who have monitored burglar alarms and either their police department doesn’t respond to activations or they have been suspended from response due to an abundance of false alarms and probably fined for those false alarms. This response to alarm activations is growing rapidly especially in the west and northeast where some companies have made this their primary area of business.
But as with the street cops, many security officers working theses type of positions know that the vast majority of burglar alarms calls are false. While this is true statistically for a number of reasons such as faulty equipment, owner errors, weather conditions such as wind or rain or even an animal that has gotten inside your building, it’s still no reason to let your guard down.
Whether you are a security officer, owner of the alarm or a law enforcement officer, it would be dangerous to your safety to become complacent and blow every alarm off as if they were all just false alarms. This would be a grave error in your judgement because every time that alarm activates, it’s a potential burglary and a potential dangerous situation for you.
If you a private officer responding to an alarm activation, here are just a few safety tips to help you stay safe.
1) Turn off your headlights. When arriving in the area turn off your headlights if you can still operate your vehicle safely.
2.) Park up the road. Do not pull in front of the alarm call location. You should arrive and park at least 3-6 houses away from the activation. When arriving in the area, it would be acceptable to check addresses to verify location and distance from the activated alarm.
3.)Prepare your yourself. Shut off all interior lights and shut your door quietly. Prepare your equipment such as your flashlight and two-way radio. Make sure that you have the right info and that you are mentally prepared to make entry into the area.
4) Observe the area. I always have a silent approach to the house or business and take a moment to stop and listen.. You may see or hear something that will alert you on how to respond tactically to the situation. This includes response to an internal alarm activation at a distribution center, hospital, school, college or university or other business where alarm activation response is part of your duties.
5) Maintain radio contact. Keep your dispatcher advised of your location and status. If your agency does not utilize a dispatcher but you have someone else with radio communication, give update your status with them frequently.Use ear piece/headset. Avoid your radio blaring your presence to the burglar. Use an ear piece or tactical headset unit to low profile your presence. Even if your department will not provide it, it would be worth you shelling out your own dollars for this peace of mind.
6) Slow entry into area. There’s no rush and no fire to put out. Go slow, listen and look at your surroundings and who is there.Take your time checking all doors, windows, gates, buildings and the roof line.If this is an internal alarm response, check office doors and supply rooms and carefully check under and around desks and cabinets and other areas where an intruder could hide.
7) Wait for backup. If you find an external unsecured door, window or a sure sign of a burglars entry point, don’t be a hero. Call either your agency for additional officers or the police. Step back and cover the house from a distance and wait for your back-up to arrive! DO NOT enter the building alone even if you think an employee may have left the door unlocked accidentally. Maybe they did leave it unlocked but for the purpose of a friend or family member to make entry and rip the place off. If this an internal response, limit your searches while alone and if you have any signs of intrusion, property damage or suspect that you’re not alone, leave the area and call either assistance from your internal department or the local police or sheriff’s department.
8) Minimize the shiny stuff. This is a tip that I picked up in law enforcement and it is worthy to note. Cover your badge, name plate, belt keepers if they are silver or brass and anything that shines.. You want to minimize the use of reflective and noisy materials that would reveal your location.
9) Be alert. There is no second chances if you make mistakes.
In Part Two we will cover building searches and burglaries in progress.
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