Part 4: False alarms and police response

If undue false alarms occur police response can be affected.

False alarms are counted over a 12-month period, with sanctions imposed as follows:

ACPO forces (effective 1 April 2006) - 3 false calls and response is withdrawn.

ACPOS forces - 4 false calls and response moves to level 2. If a further 3 false calls are received response is withdrawn.

In Scotland, a system downgraded to level 2 response will remain at that level until a period of 3 months free of false calls has passed. Some forces will reinstate level 1 response automatically, some require a written application.

A system where response has been lost completely will remain at level 3 response until the system has been upgraded to provide confirmed activations or, if it can already do so, a 3 month period expires AND the police accept that the false alarm problem has been cured. A written application is always required to restore response from level 3.

Personal attack (PA) signals receive level 1 response until false calls result in response being withdrawn. ACPO SSP suggests that forces only allow 2 PA false alarms in a rolling 12-month period before response is withdrawn, but considerable variations in individual force practice exist.

In order to avoid problems associated with loss of police response, and in some cases to avoid the expense of having to upgrade to a confirmation system, it is important to take steps to avoid false alarms...