City of Sandy Springs Georgia Alarm Dispatch Guidelines - Dated June 2021

Alarm Monitoring Company Alarm Dispatch Guidelines for
City of Sandy Springs, GA

GENERAL PROCEDURES:



If the alarm signal received is a Panic, Duress, Hold
-
up, Medical, CO, Elevator, or
Residential
Fire
Alarm:

o

Call ChatComm

directly at 404
-
843
-
6680 and request dispatch

o

No verif
ication is required

o

False Alarm fees will apply when no evidence of criminal activity or other emergency is
present




If the alarm signal is an intrusion/burglar alarm and a
n alarm site

representative
cannot be
reached:

o

Verify the validity to the activation (is there evidence of criminal activity or other
emergency?)



Verification is made by audio, video, or private guard response



Video verification may be made by either:

o

Video monitoring at a profession
al monitoring center
, or

o

Self
-
Monitored by the alarm user



If there is no verification and no evidence that a person (suspect or victim) is at
the alarm site, the alarm is not eligible for dispatch
. Do not call and request
dispatch on an unverified alarm.

o

O
nce verified, call the Sandy Springs Call Center at 770
-
730
-
5600



Provide the required information to the call taker (verification method, address,
permit numbers, etc.
)



If the requirements are met the call will be transferred to ChatComm for
dispatch




If t
he alarm signal is an intrusion/burglar alarm and contact is made with an alarm site
representative:

o

Attempt to verify the validity of the activation

o

If the representative
is not

at the alarm site, verification of criminal activity or other
emergency must be made prior to requesting public safety dispatch
. Do not call and
request dispatch on an unverified alarm.



o

If the representative
is

at the alarm site and requests public safety

dispatch, call the
Sandy Springs Call Center at 770
-
730
-
5600 and:



Provide the required information to the call taker



The call will be transferred to ChatComm for dispatch



False Alarm fees may apply when no evidence of criminal activity or other
emergency

is present

o

If the representative
is

at the alarm site
and states it is a false alarm but

cannot provide
a proper cancellation code,
dispatch may be re
que
sted. C
all the Sandy Springs Call
Center at 770
-
730
-
5600 and:



Provide the required information to the
call taker



The call will be transferred to ChatComm for dispatch




False Alarm fees

may

apply when no evidence of criminal activity or other
emergency is
found


DO NOT CALL AND REQUEST DISPATCH ON UNVERIFIED INTRUSION/BURGLAR ALARMS IF THERE IS NO
EVIDENCE

OF A PERSON EITHER IN NEED OR UNAUTHORIZED AT THE ALARM SITE



GENERAL AUDIO/VIDEO/
GUARD RESPONSE VERIF
ICATION GUIDELINES




Audio verification

o

Complete silence at the alarm site will not be considered verification of possible criminal
activity

o

Reasonable, articulable sounds heard at the alarm site will be considered verification of
possible criminal activity and will qualify the alarm signal for dispatch



Qualifying s
ounds includ
e

but
are
not limited to:



Footsteps



Whispering



Rummaging sounds
(thumping, bumping, dropping, etc.)



Voices with no proper response to monitoring company challenges




Video verification

o

Reasonable, articulable evidence that an unauthorized person is seen at the alarm site

o

The monitoring service should explain to the call
-
taker what was seen including a
description of the person, direction of travel, etc.







Guard response verification

o

Reasonable, articulable
suspicion that criminal activity was attempted or has occurred



Examples include but are not limited to:



Broken windo
ws



Breached doors



Pry marks on windows or doors



Damaged window or door screens



Personal property stashed outside the alarm site



AUDIO/VIDEO CLIP SHA
RING REQUIREMENTS AN
D PROCEDURES:


When an alarm activation is verified by audio or video
,
dispatch will
be made based on the testimony of
the alarm company
. H
owever

a short media clip
must

be provided to ChatComm within 24 hours of
requesting dispatch to the alarm.




Professionally monitored audio/video:

o

Media clips
should

be sent as soon as possible
, but no
later than 24 hours after
requesting dispatch



Clips
must

have
reasonable
evidence of
suspected
criminal activity

as described
by the monitoring company at the time dispatch is requested

o

The alarm company should advise ChatComm when to expect the clip

o

Media

clips may be sent to
alarms@chatcomm.org



Please include in the subject line the date of the activation and property address



Please include in the body of the email, contact information of the sender



A
larm company name, phone # and contact name



P
roperty owner name, phone #
-

and time of alarm activation

o

Clips
may

have a maximum file size of
25MB

o

Clips should be in standard, easily played formats such as .mpg, .wav, etc.

o

Clips that require a
proprietary video player will not be acceptable




Self
-
monitored video (when user asks alarm company to request public safety dispatch on their
behalf)

o

Alarm company should ask what the user heard/saw and explain that to ChatComm

o

Alarm company should advise

the user of need to provide a media clip

o

Alarm company should assist the user in emailing the clip to ChatComm when possible





User may send clip directly to ChatComm, or



User may send the clip to the alarm company who will forward it to ChatComm

o

If no medi
a clip will be available, alarm company should explain that to ChatComm as
soon as possible and explain why


Failure to provide the required media clip may result in additional fines as outlined in the ordinance.