In the case of an emergency, who will respond rapidly to your home alarm?
Last September, the Toronto Police released a policy update regarding home burglar alarms: Toronto Police will not respond to burglar alarm activations unless verified.
September 10th marked one year since the policy went into effect and till this day, we find ourselves educating home owners on this policy that was not well-communicated to the residents of Toronto. Many people are still unaware of the major impact this causes on home security and frankly, peace of mind. If you do not have an alarm response plan in place, or have the proof required for the police to respond to your alarm, you may find yourself in a helpless rut.
Just this past weekend, we were informed of a break-and-enter in Lawrence Park, where the homeowner (not a client of Avante) had to call the Police 3-times only for them to arrive hours later.
The new Toronto Police alarm response policy was implemented due to the increase in resources catering to false alarms. In our dedication to protecting our communities and supporting the Toronto police in keeping our neighbourhoods safe, we encourage all homeowners to take their safety into their own hands by devising a home alarm response plan.
Avante’s 6-Minute Alarm Response
Whether the alarm is verified or not, highly skilled guards will arrive within 6 minutes or less on average. The fastest alarm response times in Canada
Rapid Alarm Response is True Peace of Mind
Rapid Alarm Response is a service that we have been providing for over 20 years. Today, we remain as Toronto resident’s best option when it comes to an alarm response program, offering response times that are unmatched in the industry. Our 6-minute Rapid Alarm Response service is one of the fastest response times in Canada, with a dedicated focus on Toronto and the GTA. We know that in the case of an emergency, every second can feel like an eternity and that is why we treat every alarm as a threat and dispatch our mobile units at the same instant we receive an alarm signal, whether verified or not.
When our team of Executive Security Operatives respond to an alarm, they follow a series of protocols. Our team will provide the required verification to the Police to prove that criminal activity has taken place and an investigation is in order.
Now, video surveillance is more valuable than ever; and could be used as a form of verification for the police to tend to a home intrusion alarm or be used as evidence for an investigation. Ensuring your home is equipped with high-definition video surveillance, with cameras strategically placed in areas that are most vulnerable to break-ins, could make all the difference when there is an emergency situation.
The more homes that subscribe to our Rapid Response service, the more resources we can put on the road and even decrease our response times. Refer a neighbour, friend, or family for up to $1,000 off your security services. Safer homes start with safer neighbourhoods.
“Toronto Police now require evidence before responding to home security alarm calls”
– CBC Sep 10, 2018
=“Up until Today, we would send a police car and two officers whenever there was an activation for a burglar alarm”
– CTV Sep 10, 2018
“New burglar alarm policy raises safety concerns for some Toronto residents”
– BlueLine Sep 19, 2018
“Toronto Police say officers will no longer respond to property security alarms unless there is evidence of a break-in”
– Global News Sep 10, 2018
“The key word here is “alarm”. Something is alarming, you have to deal with it immediately. But no, we are going to put you on pause, because you have to prove there is criminal activity going on”
– The Star Sep 10, 2018