However, a 2 hour response to a burglary alarm where there is confirmed to be someone inside who (as far as the police know) failed to give a correct password is unacceptable. In our agency, that is a higher priority call than an accident where fire and EMS take care of the accident victims. As far as we are concerned, that is not a false alarm.

False alarms are a thorn in the side of police agencies everywhere. They take officers off the street keeping them from handling real emergencies. They cost the taxpayers money, and the jeopardize citizens’ safety by reducing the availability of officers to respond to calls and just be present on the streets. Many cities have begun to require that if citizens want officers to respond to calls from their alarm company, they must purchase an alarm permit from the city. Additionally, they must pay fines for false alarms (usually allowed a few before fines begin.) Your situation, where someone was confirmed inside the residence and did not give a proper passcode (according to the alarm company) would get a police response regardless of a valid permit in our agency.

The phrase,”There’s never a cop around when you need one” is largely true due mainly to false residential burglary alarms. NOT because they are all at 7-11s or doughnut shops.

It’s difficult to place blame here – the alarm company should shoulder some responsibility because they didn’t recognize the proper password, but they are not responsible for the priority of the response. They call the police as soon as they receive an alarm call. It is up to the police department to determine the priority of their responses for each type of call. But if they are understaffed (or overbusy) they can’t dispatch an officer if they don’t have one. In our business, the phrase, “You can’t poop a cop” is a way to ease the conscience of new dispatchers who have calls holding that they can’t do anything about until an officer clears from a working call.