Features CANASA Update Opinion
Understanding verified response

The London Police Service informed our members that, as of May 29, they will implement a verified response program. As a result, CANASA arranged a member meeting with LPS and several other stakeholders to get a clearer understanding of how this new program will be rolled out and implemented. Other Ontario police services also attended this meeting, including those of Toronto, Kingston, Windsor and Hamilton.

It is CANASA’s position that a version of verified response will be implemented in many more jurisdictions in the very near future as police try to find ways to reduce the number of false alarms they respond to and cut costs. We have also received notice from the RCMP in Kamloops, B.C., that they too are implementing a verified response program as of April 1.

It appears there are two main objectives: cost recovery and limited response (or variations or combinations of the two). The verified response strategy would eliminate police administration costs for registration and tracking of alarms with the hope of reducing resources currently engaged in responding to and managing alarm calls. Under a verified response program, calls would be streamed to the police dispatch with no pre-registration. Based on the information provided on the call such as video/audio or multiple signals as verification, the operator would determine if the call would be dispatched. Alarm companies would also not need to manage or track registration and fees.

A fee-based strategy that many jurisdictions already have in place can provide police with recovery funds that may exceed their costs and help with their budgets. For example, if London Police Service were to implement a $24 yearly registration for their 46,000 systems they would generate over $1.1 million to fund the program.  

CANASA, along with several industry stakeholders, is working to produce several documents that can be used as a guide and template to work with local police departments to develop a more user-friendly program that will not be as intrusive as some police departments have implemented. We will share these with the industry once they become available.

For more information visit www.canasa.org and click on “Verified Response.”