Castle Security Group - Our Services

ACPOS have a policy on Police response to security systems in Scotland. This policy details what level of response will be provided by the Police and to what standards a security system must comply with in order to be eligible for Police response.

The main aim of the ACPOS policy is to reduce the number of false alarms attended by the Police. To obtain Police response, the intruder alarm system must have a Unique Reference Number (URN). Remotely monitored, detector activated CCTV systems also require a URN to be eligible for Police Response.

Police response to alarm systems will be as follows:

Level 1 – Immediate. Initially all alarm systems connected to an Alarm Receiving Centre will receive Level 1 response.

Level 2 – Police Response is desirable but attendance may be delayed, e.g. due to resource availability or higher priority calls being attended.

After 4 false alarms in a rolling 12 month period, Level 2 response is imposed and Castle will inform you in writing. This will remain valid until the alarm system has been free of false alarms for 3 months.

Level 3 – No Police attendance, keyholder Response only. After 7 false alarms in a rolling 12 month period Level 3 response is imposed and the Police and/or Castle will advise you in writing. Castle will also be advised not to pass alarm messages to the Police. Keyholders will continue to be informed of activations.

Following withdrawal of response, Systems will have to wait three months free of false calls or have a second form of confirmation installed in order to reinstate Police response.

If for any reason Police response is not re-instated within 6 months the URN will be deleted. The system must then be upgraded to conform to PD6662 & DD243 and a new URN applied for before Police response in re-instated.

The response that an alarm receives will depend on the probability of the call being genuine and the individual Force Service Standard.

If your alarm system includes personal attack devices, the signals passed to the Police will differentiate between these and intruder alarm signals. Personal Attack alarms will attract Level 1 response, but if, after withdrawal of response to intruder alarms, the personal attack element generates 7 false alarms in any 12 month period, the personal attack alarms will also be withdrawn from Police response.

Resetting of Your Alarm System

Under PD6662 and EN50131, resetting of your alarm system following a confirmed activation can normally only be done by a service engineer of Castle. The service engineer will be suitably trained to identify the cause of the alarm and reset the equipment. Resetting can also be carried out in conjunction with the Alarm Receiving Centre or Castle's RESOLVE desk. This is to prevent repeated false alarm calls from a faulty alarm happening without a technician checking out the system.

For further details of the RESOLVE reset service, please contact Castle.

False Alarm Definition

A false alarm is an alarm which would normally be passed to the Police and has not resulted from:

Activation of detectors without apparent damage or entry to the premises and line faults will be considered as a false alarm unless proven otherwise.

For a new system to have a level 1 response it must comply with the requirements of British Standard DD243 this requires that alarm confirmation technology should be used to reduce the possibility of false alarm activations. When the alarm transmits an activation signal, it must be confirmed by the Alarm Receiving Centre operator who will immediately contact the Police. There are three methods of alarm confirmation allowed under the policy, they are sequential, audio or visual.

Use of Personal Attack Alarms

A Personal Attack 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. These devices may not be used to summon assistance in circumstances other than this. Mis-use may result in the withdrawal of Police response.

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--> What is a false alarm?

What is a false alarm? - The consequences involved In the event of an alarm. Castle Security receives the signal and after checking the validity of the signal contacts the emergency services. A false alarm occurs when an alarm signal has gone through this process but has not been caused by: A burglary or attack on the premises. A fire (if you have a fire detection system installed). A personal Attack device being activated with good intent.
Why do we need to prevent false alarms? Police attendance to your property will be delayed or withdrawn altogether in accordance with the ACPOS policy. False alarms waste valuable Police and Fire Brigade resources.
Dealing with false alarms: Keep calm. Enter your code to cancel the alarm. If you do not enter your code the Alarm Receiving Centre may call you. Be ready to quote your code word over the phone.
Reduce the risk - Service and Maintenance is essential. It is important to service and maintain your alarm system on a regular basis, as this well reduce the risk of false alarms. We have professional engineers who are trained to service and maintain all types of fire and security systems. For more information on service and maintenance packages, or upgrading your present alarm system, please call 0131 667 8999 .

How to prevent false alarms? False alarms can occur when an alarm is activated due to the incorrect operation of the alarm system, windows and doors not being properly secured and the path of the PIR beam interrupted through insecure stock. The activated alarm signal reaches Castle Security and filtering techniques are applied before the emergency services are contacted. It is important that the number of false alarms is reduced as police attendance to the site could be affected. Ensure all users are properly trained on how to operate the system. Ensure that all doors are windows are securely locked when the system is set. Check to make sure that sensors are not obstructed. Ensure that your system receives regular maintenance checks. Advise Castle if there are any alterations to your building/home or contents that might affect the system operation. Upgrade your system to include alarm confirmation technology.
What are the main causes? The alarm system not being operated properly. Windows and doors not being properly secured. Keyholders who are unfamiliar with your system. The alarm being set with people still in the building/home. Objects/movement in front of the movement detectors.