Breaking: TPD responses only to verified alarms

[AVERAGE JOE]

quote:Originally posted by Hawkins

B.S.

Business owners pay taxes for a police department.

What else are they doing in the middle of the night when most of these alarms go off? Who cares if most of them are false alarms, its not hurting anybody's tax dollars, its just interrupting late-night coffee and pancake-house breaks for the officers.

Truly, one of the stupidest posts in the history of this forum. Quite possibly the history of the entire Internet...

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by AVERAGE JOE
Truly, one of the stupidest posts in the history of this forum.

Does have a certain uninformed quality, doesnt it?

...but there are times when you wonder aloud about our resources.  Yesterday a friend called 911 to report his car being stolen at work.  A tow truck driver just loaded it up about 5:30pm (according to the security guard who didnt think to challenge it).
By midnight still no TPD, but by then the window of opportunity provided by a timely description had long since closed.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

Technology can save us on this.

Alarm companies can find reasonable ways to verify an alarm besides just calling the cops that motion detector went off or someone knocked hard on a door.

A camera system can be installed to be verification for just a few dollars more or two separate alarms (a window, door or motion detector) could be considered verification.

I think an audible alarm, a nosy neighbor and a well trained dog is the best combination.

I don't have neighbors at the moment.

I am still for the idea that the alarm company contacts you, gives you the option, and you pay the city for the visit.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

Technology can save us on this.

Alarm companies can find reasonable ways to verify an alarm besides just calling the cops that motion detector went off or someone knocked hard on a door.

A camera system can be installed to be verification for just a few dollars more or two separate alarms (a window, door or motion detector) could be considered verification.

I think an audible alarm, a nosy neighbor and a well trained dog is the best combination.

I don't have neighbors at the moment.

I am still for the idea that the alarm company contacts you, gives you the option, and you pay the city for the visit.

And while all this is happening, the burglars have ripped you off and are long gone.  The most a homeowner can hope is the noise from the alarm will scare off the intruders.  The best and cheapest solutions are to make your home burglar "unfriendly" and as visible as possible to the neighbors and street.  Keep trees and shrubs around your house trimmed and low.  Make sure your home is well lit outside at night.  Keep locks on outside gates at all times, keep fences and gates in good repair, and keep your doors and windows locked, even when you are home.  Don't do anything to make it any easier for criminals.  Take your trash cans in from the street as soon as possible; nothing screams "nobody's home" any louder than empty trash cans sitting by the curb.
I have lived in my mid-town Tulsa home for 20 years and have never experienced a break-in,  possibly because I follow the above common sense suggestions.  I did have one attempted burglary about 15 years ago, but the heavy duty dead bolt on my front door held up, and the scum were either scared off or gave up!  Knock on wood.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by Steve
And while all this is happening, the burglars have ripped you off and are long gone.  The most a homeowner can hope is the noise from the alarm will scare off the intruders.  The best and cheapest solutions are to make your home burglar "unfriendly" and as visible as possible to the neighbors and street.  Keep trees and shrubs around your house trimmed and low.  Make sure your home is well lit outside at night.

Hardly anyone ever follows up on this advice with a good definition of "well lit" (or how to accomplish it).  Please resist the temptation to visit Home Depot till you've thought this one out.

Just as an exercise, lets say the purpose of an alarm is to
(1) inform the intruder he has been detected (and possibly cut short their plans),
(2) inform any occupants an intruder is detected (so that they can take defensive measures), and
(3) attract the attention of neighbors that could either act as witnesses, or who's presence or intervention could further disempower an intruder.

Getting a neighbor to make a 911 call would essentially be the only chance of having police arrive before the dirty deed is complete, regardless of whether or not you have an alarm permit.

Your only other recourse seems to be getting a gun and some training, but that doesnt always work out.
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/politics/16437452.htm

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by patric

quote:Originally posted by Steve
And while all this is happening, the burglars have ripped you off and are long gone.  The most a homeowner can hope is the noise from the alarm will scare off the intruders.  The best and cheapest solutions are to make your home burglar "unfriendly" and as visible as possible to the neighbors and street.  Keep trees and shrubs around your house trimmed and low.  Make sure your home is well lit outside at night.

Hardly anyone ever follows up on this advice with a good definition of "well lit" (or how to accomplish it).  Please resist the temptation to visit Home Depot till you've thought this one out.

Just as an exercise, lets say the purpose of an alarm is to
(1) inform the intruder he has been detected (and possibly cut short their plans),
(2) inform any occupants an intruder is detected (so that they can take defensive measures), and
(3) attract the attention of neighbors that could either act as witnesses, or who's presence or intervention could further disempower an intruder.

Getting a neighbor to make a 911 call would essentially be the only chance of having police arrive before the dirty deed is complete, regardless of whether or not you have an alarm permit.

Your only other recourse seems to be getting a gun and some training, but that doesnt always work out.
http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=5899975&nav=2KPp

Well lit means not having shrubery or dark areas near points of entry, doors or windows, where intruders can hide or invade a property without neighbors seeing, and providing some form of electric lighting for these areas.  This is just common sense and if you can't comply with this, then you have no business being a homeowner.  
I was just trying to offer some common sense advise based on my own personal experience.  I have lived in my home for 20 years at 26th St. & Yale, just southeast of the fairgrounds.  Since I have owned this house, EVERY house surrounding my property has been burglarized, at least once.  But not my house, although I have had the attempted burglary about 15 years ago that I previously mentioned.  I think expensive burglar alarm systems are pretty much a waste of money, especially in my modest middle class neighborhood.  Just take some cheap, common sense effort and don't make your property susceptible.  It has worked for me.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

Just take some cheap, common sense effort and don't make your property susceptible.  It has worked for me.

Wasnt disagreeing with you at all.
Just trying to be subtle (and topical) about the difference between modestly improving your night vision and putting your goodies in a spotlight.