Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Update

Changes to Police Response to Hold-Up Alarms

The Association of Chief Police Officers’ Police Response to Security Systems policy has been amended with specific measures to reduce the number of false alarms from Hold-Up Alarm Buttons also referred to as Personal Attack or Panic Buttons.  As this is a change to the ACPO policy it only affects England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The new policy does not affect Scotland or Republic of Ireland.

In many instances Hold-Up Alarms are used where there is no threat to persons within a defined area. Without knowing the circumstances under which the Hold-Up Alarms are activated, the Police must respond.  If the Hold-Up Alarm is used twice within in a rolling twelve month period and there is no threat to persons in a defined area; the system will lose police response for a period of time.

Accidental misuse of the Hold-Up Alarm system could cause the loss of Police response, see below for suggestions on how to avoid false alarms.

This policy applies to both domestic and business customers where a monitored ADT security system is fitted with manually operated Hold-Up Alarm (HUA) Buttons.

The amended Security Systems Policy states:

“A Hold-Up Alarm may be operated to summon urgent Police assistance when an assailant enters a previously defined area with the obvious intention of harming or threatening any person within that defined area”.

The main changes are:

• Police response will be withdrawn to the HUA part of the system after a maximum of 2 false calls in a rolling 12 month period.
• A method of HUA Intervention must be implemented in order to get Police response reinstated (see below).
• When a form of Intervention has been implemented, Police response may be reinstated to the HUA before the 3 month period has elapsed.
• If a system subsequently loses response after Intervention has been implemented, the system must achieve three consecutive months free of false calls from the HUA supported by evidence from the security company before response is reinstated.
• The Police have indicated that there will be no zeroing of HUA alarm history, so any premises that already has had just one false alarm may lose response as a result of another false alarm within 12 months. 

Methods of HUA InterventionIn line with security polices ADT does not publish methods of HUA intervention. However, these can be discussed with our contracted customers.

Prevention of Hold-Up Alarm False Alarms A Hold-Up Alarm is there to summon Police assistance when a person feels threatened and should not be used for any other purpose, to prevent false alarms:

• Ensure that all security system users are trained in the correct use of the Hold-Up Alarm – at work and at home.
• In business environment, it is important to train all staff and inform visitors to the premises (including for example contract cleaners) that have access to the Hold-Up Alarm Button and not to press it out of curiosity.
• It is important that the Hold-Up Alarm is positioned where members of the public cannot have access to it and any contractors made aware of the consequences of pressing the button.

Examples of intentional but non-essential operation of a Hold-Up Alarm which would be classed as a false alarm:

• A garage forecourt attendant operating the Hold-Up Alarm when someone has driven off without paying for petrol.
• Shopkeeper operating the Hold-Up Alarm because someone leaves the store without paying for goods.
• A  Publican operating the Hold-Up Alarm because they saw a fight in progress.

The above examples should have been notified to the Police via the telephone using 999 or by calling the local Police station allowing the Police to prioritise their response to the particular circumstance.

You do not need to take any action as a result of this change.