Intruder Alarms

Ltd

1

Intruder alarm systems

This chapter concentrates on the fact that intruder alarms form only one part of a much greater security industry. The need for confidentiality in the industry cannot be overemphasized. Technicians need to be aware of the risk to themselves, their employers and of course their customers, and it is important to understand each person’s role in the intruder alarm industry sector.

It is certainly true to say that the last few years have seen many changes in the security industry, and advanced technologies combined with stricter standards and working practices will continue this trend. Technologies in the security industry will become more complementary, and the engineer involved with alarms must understand how this will affect him or her and what can be expected in the long term.

The industry for installers has changed dramatically to the extent that we have seen the introduction of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Security Systems Policy 2000. This is a revision of previous versions of the policy and is concerned with all security systems that may generate an ‘electronic call for help’. The ideal is to reduce false alarm activations that are passed to the police but with the emphasis being placed on the industry itself to provide solutions. In keeping with the aims of the policy the security systems sector is expected to create standards and codes of practice to achieve results by means of the current technologies available. Within this DD243: 2002 has been introduced as a code of practice to give guidance and advice on the design, installation and configuration of intruder alarm systems which signal confirmed alarm signals to an alarm receiving centre (ARC). This new policy places great emphasis on the use of such confirmed alarm technology in seeking the verification of alarms on monitored systems.

We have also seen the creation of the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) and many changes within the schemes that provide the inspection services for companies installing electronic security devices. In addition the security industry has shown great progress in the development of educational systems and qualification frameworks in tandem with the changes in the industry. How can we expect the installer’s role to develop in the next decade? The verification of alarms and integration with closed-circuit television (CCTV) and access control is certainly apparent as is also a higher emphasis on the external protection of sites, whereas the past has seen a greater use of internal protection systems. More capital is expected to be spent on making sites more secure, and training will become more important as customers look for management systems. These buyers are already seeking more computer-based systems, and so this is a natural progression.

Certainly there is an increased demand for perimeter intruder detection systems (PIDSs), which offer an earlier warning of potential crime than purely internal detection. Integration will also play a major role in the security industry, and stand-alone technologies will become outdated, certainly in the commercial and industrial market. It will then progress into the residential domestic arena. We will, additionally, witness a growing use of personal computers (PCs) in the installation business: initially the security industry used DOS basics but Windows-based systems are becoming more common. Indeed, as more computer-based systems come on line the days of traditional programming are now numbered, and software development will be achieved remotely by central offices using modems for uploading and downloading programs.

Standards, policies and regulations will all change radically as Euro Norms (EN standards) are adopted, but as policies and regulations are enhanced it will be necessary to dedicate more time to administrative work. As the equipment becomes increasingly technical there must be a corresponding increase in training, particularly with more PC-based work. System types must surely become large, and with these being PC derived the complexity will escalate. The technology we expect to see developing through the coming years will certainly be the observation system integrated with intruder functions. The systems will become increasingly refined as prices of surveillance components fall, and the development of new technologies will enable high-resolution kits to be more affordable. Certainly there will be a huge amount of domestic premises boasting CCTV-type systems in the not-too-distant future. Intruder alarm systems with video access control and similar technologies are definitely something that architects and planners must now consider, and the provision of this security within new buildings will become a ‘must’.

Intruder alarm systems will become a part of building management systems or intelligent buildings, and the emphasis will not only come from the security industry but from architects, planners and developers. The security installer must ensure that he or she fits into this scheme, and the developments, or face losing the market to electricians and builders.

Changes in technology will lead to changes in the knowledge that is required by the installer, and it is important to predict the route that security installations will take in the coming years. Eventually the communication side of the industry will be changed dramatically and there will be a great deal of emphasis on the uploading and downloading of data. Those installing alarms must diversify. And as far as equipment is concerned, its reliability must improve. So there it remains: we must expect integration and technological advancement. The market for intruder alarms will continue to grow but as an integrated technique with true compatibility of system hardware.

1.1 A complementary part of the security industry

Security systems range through intruder alarms to access control and CCTV but with an interest also in lighting methods to embrace automatic detection, occupancy and emergency. There is also a small level of integration with call systems, including nurse call systems plus manual and automatic fire detection and associated alarms.

No matter how we look at intruder alarms we can certainly see how they become involved with access control and CCTV as Figure 1.1 shows.

Figure 1.1 Intruder/access control/C CTV

Different lighting forms are often integrated with the three principal systems, be it occupancy, automatic or emergency, and fire detection then becomes a related subject.

In practice it will be found that an installation company performing the fitting of intruder alarms will recognize the importance of being aware of access control and CCTV, and will be familiar to some extent with call and fire alarms plus lighting methods.

In reality, outputs may be taken from a system to activate another. Remote signalling equipment provides different channels for the various functions transmitted to alarm receiving centres (ARCs), and verification of intruder alarms can be achieved by the use of lighting and CCTV. In cases where no specific outputs exist, electromagnetic relays can be energized to open or close circuit loops. These relays are discussed later. The integration of systems is wide ranging, and although the application of BS 4737: ‘Intruder Alarm Systems in Buildings’ and BS 5839: ‘Fire Detection and Alarm Systems in Buildings’ follow somewhat different practices, an understanding of one helps to bring an understanding of the other. The description of line monitoring and switching techniques in either standard facilitate an understanding of why these practices are adopted for alarm systems in buildings.

The security industry has and will continue to witness unprecedented change that has many repercussions for the installer and central station or alarm receiving centre which will monitor signals, not only from intruder alarms but from a great many other sources also.

The intruder alarm installer must recognize how his or her industry complements others and realize the key purpose of security: to protect life, premises and property. It also leads us to the manned section of the industry (static and patrol guarding), comprising:

• aviation security;

• property under guard;

• retail guarding;

• store detection;

• close protection;

• dog handling;

• physical protection.

The manned section, although not needing to understand the technological detail, should be aware of the other security areas and the roles they play. Those installing intruder alarms must equally understand the role of the manned sector and how it will often be connected to the alarm receiving centre to follow up intrusion outputs.

Crime is something we certainly live with. It affects us in different ways so cannot be easily costed or defined. The Government has in fact been forced into releasing figures in July 2002 showing that the overall number of offences in England and Wales rose by more than 6 per cent in the year to March 2002. In truth 38 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales have seen an increase in the total number of crimes committed. On average, around 850 more crimes have been reported daily than during the previous 12 months. The latest crime wave seems to be spread throughout rural and urban areas with an unexpected increase in the number of burglaries now taking place. This is thought to be fuelled by increasing drug use which largely accounts for the £1.25 billion cost of shop theft as reported by the British Retail Consortium.

Engineering and technical staff alongside the manned section and together with the central station and police response can address the present-day problems and suggest plans for the future. Within this framework it is vital that the intruder alarm engineer recognizes the role he or she must play.

1.2 ACPO Security Systems Policy and response organizations in the intruder alarm industry

Originally the local police force would issue a ‘Police Recognized List’ for a given area which was a subscriber list for the public providing information about companies that could be relied upon to carry out a neat, cost-effective and correct installation to BS 4737. This concept was withdrawn following the introduction of a new Unified Intruder Alarm Policy and in keeping with developments in the market for security systems. In 1995 the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) revised its policy on police response to alarms and this was fully implemented on 1 April 1996. It became known as the 1995 ACPO Policy and was effectively the NACOSS code of practice NACP 14 or its equivalent industry code of practice SCOP 14. It stated:

The aim of this policy is to enable the police to provide an effective response to genuine intruder alarm activations thereby leading to the arrest of offenders and a reduction of losses by improving the effectiveness of alarm systems and reducing the number of false calls to the police.

This policy was quite rigid in most of its requirements, but it only applied to systems with remote signalling with a police response. Audible-only systems did not fall within its scope. It reinforced the BS 4737 need for engineer reset on remote signalling systems with a police response although resetting could be performed by the central station if sufficient information was available. Certainly the policy placed the responsibility for choosing an alarm company directly on the customer as the police would only respond to alarm systems which had been given a unique reference number (URN). For a company to be able to issue URNs it must be recognized by an inspectorate body. This subject is covered in detail at a later stage in this chapter. The systems themselves must conform to BS 4737 or the high-security standard BS 7042 or to Class 6 of BS 6799 covering wire-free systems. Following on from this the ACPO Security Systems Policy 2000 was introduced. It applies to all sites whether domestic dwellings or business which employ electronic security systems and require the police to attend if an alarm condition is generated. The new policy once again accepted a number of organizations for the management of false alarm procedures, thereby allowing installers of those organizations to install police-calling alarm systems by issuing URNs.

Under the new ACPO policy, inspection bodies approving security installers who install police-calling alarm systems also need to be accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), who operate on behalf of the Government under a Memorandum of Understanding from the Department of Trade and Industry. The new policy also made changes to the police response depending on the number of false alarms in any rolling 12 month period, in effect tightening the rules on the managing of unwanted alarm activations.

All alarm systems issued with a URN are automatically entitled to Level 1 immediate response but this is reduced to Level 2 if the police are called to two false activations in a rolling 12 month period. If problems persist and the system is further reduced to Level 3 the police response is effectively withdrawn. In such circumstances, Level 3 will continue to apply until the system is free of false activations for three months but if this is not achieved within a period of six months the URN will be deleted.

Systems which include a PA (personal attack) facility should be capable of sending a signal which differentiates between PA and intruder alarm generation. If not, a reduction in police response will include all elements of the system. It is to be understood that PA units should only be used when an individual is at risk from attack and therefore when they signal separately and distinctly they can be viewed as systems in their own right.

The requirements of the new policy can be compared to that of the original over a rolling 12 months:

The police response is defined as the police attending the protected premises when they are informed of an alarm activation. The installed system must be classified under the policy as Type A or Type B.

• Type A: remote signalling systems. These signal alarm activity to either a BS 5797 recognized alarm receiving centre or to a police control room with the specific approval of the Chief Officer of Police. These systems also need to meet the necessary British Standards or industry Codes of Practice and be installed, maintained and monitored by companies certified by a UKAS accredited certification body. If not the system is unable to be classed as Type A. All Type A systems are issued with a URN, which is necessary in order to qualify for police response.

Type A systems need to have two designated keyholders, who need to be trained in the use of the alarm system, be telephone subscribers and have transport if necessary, enabling them to be at the site within 20 minutes of being notified.

• Type B: security systems. These are security systems for which a police response may be requested but do not conform with the guidelines for Type A systems. Type B systems will not be issued with URNs and therefore do not receive police attendance automatically.

Systems need to be Type A as designated by the policy, which means that they must signal to a recognized manned station. A new perspective of the policy is that this signalling must incorporate confirmed activations. The techniques associated with this are covered in Section 6.9, Alarm confirmation technology. In practice these confirmed alarm techniques use a second activation to confirm that the initial alarm activation is genuine. DD243: 2002 defines the possible procedures for transmitting these confirmed alarms through to the ARC.

It is achieved by one of three established means; namely visual confirmation, audible confirmation or sequential confirmation. For visual and audible confirmation additional equipment is required to provide the alarm receiving centre with the confirmation signal. Sequential confirmation is the simplest and most adopted technique and is used to indicate that a previously signalled alarm condition is likely to be genuine. It is achieved through a ‘second alarm’ signal sent when a separate zone to the one that caused the initial alarm is activated. As an example, an intruder who opened a door would initially trigger a ‘code 3’ alarm and when he subsequently triggers a movement detector the ‘second alarm’ is generated and the ARC is able to action a confirmed alarm to the police. The transmission procedures are not applicable between two detectors covering the same area as the environmental problems triggering one could have the same effect on the other. Therefore two detectors of the same technology cannot cover the same area or if they do they must use different techniques (e.g. PIR and microwave).

Alarm confirmation is a system parameter rather than a panel feature so the site always needs enough detectors to ensure appropriate coverage in order to generate the second alarm condition. DD243 defines the possible procedures for transmitting a confirmed alarm through to the ARC:

• The initial alarm condition can be sent to the ARC followed by the second alarm signal.

• A single signal can be sent to the ARC indicating that a confirmed alarm has been detected.

These methods are specified in the code of practice DD243: 2002, which gives guidance and advice on the design, installation and configuration of intruder alarm systems which signal confirmed activations to an ARC. It does not cover PA elements but does not imply that such systems cannot incorporate PAs. All systems which apply for an initial URN after 1 October 2001 must be capable of creating confirmed activations as specified in DD243 or if it has been removed from a Level 1 police response (immediate) and wishes to be reinstated to that level. As an addition, if a signalling path has the capability to signal a loss of communication (dual signalling systems), a communications loss followed by an alarm, an alarm followed by a communications loss, or two communication losses on separate signalling paths, this may also count as a confirmed activation.

The intention of the policy is to reduce false call-outs for the police and this has an obvious knock-on effect for installers. Although they will not have to replace a complete system they will have to ensure that all alarms within the proviso can be confirmed. The real perspective of ACPO 2000 remains that all end users’ properties are adequately protected and that fewer false alarms are generated. In practice DD243 in its role within the policy only applies to intruder alarm systems and does not limit the role of the installer in the creation of the system. Indeed it offers alternatives to cater for diverse applications. The areas covered are:

• Primary design and configuration considerations. This relates to design objectives, the acceptance of the different alarm confirmation technologies and the transmission fault signals in confirmed activations. It also covers the need for providing information to the ARC as regards the level or changes to the police response.

• Design, installation and configuration of intruder alarm systems which incorporate confirmation technology. This deals with design considerations and the provision of effective confirmation technology and the notification of alarms. It also involves the location of control and indicating equipment and how systems may be configured.

• Handling of information by ARCs. This is related to the handling of information by the ARCs so that the operators follow the code of practice in order that the signals are classified as confirmed.

• Minimization of false alarms. This is of immense significance so that false alarms may be filtered out and includes the means of setting and unsetting the system.

False alarm prevention

False alarms are caused by all manner of circumstances. Much emphasis is therefore to be placed on careful system design and installation practices, as well as the selection of appropriate equipment to meet the needs of a given site. ACPO are determined to reduce the incidence of false alarms that are caused when a user enters the protected premises so we expect to see unsetting in the long term further biased towards electrically contacted locks which, on turning a key, unlock the door and unset the system (Blockschloss). Tags of course also help to reduce false alarms on unsetting as only ‘one single consistent action’ is required. At present the ACPO policy accepts a number of unsetting practices but a popular technique is by opening the entry door and then turning off the system by a key fob or card swipe – not by a key pad. The acceptable practices of unsetting to DD243 are covered at a later point in this section.

Overall we can say that the largest percentage of false alarm activations are actually caused by user error but there are some basic rules that apply to all intruder systems in general. Installers and clients should appreciate the following points:

• At the outset inform the system users of the consequences of false alarms. Clearly indicate their responsibilities.

• Realize that the installation company is responsible for false alarm performance.

• Ensure that the alarm receiving centre accepts a measure of responsibility for the collection of alarm signalling data.

• Ensure that any animals or pets are unable to enter areas that are fitted with detectors unless purpose-designed sensors are used.

• Confirm that detection devices are not obstructed.

• If movement detectors are installed do not introduce new sources of heat, movement or sound in the areas they protect.

• Confirm that all doors and windows that feature contacts are closed in advance of setting the alarm.

• Never deviate from the designated entry/exit routes when the system is set.

• Have all keys, codes and fobs or cards available when entering or leaving the premises.

• Ensure that all system users have been correctly trained and minimize the number of people who operate the system.

• Ensure that all users understand the official procedures for any abort process required if incorrect codes are entered into the system.

• Never disclose codes or passwords to unauthorized persons.

• If the alarm system control panel features a fault message for a specific zone when setting, check that the detector is not being triggered by a spurious event and that doors where protected are closed.

• If faults cannot be cleared in any zone contact the installation