This email was sent to MPD and we are posting here for community input and advice:
As a new resident of Logan Circle (which we love), I have installed a central station monitored alarm system in my condo. Primarily I am concerned about protecting my family while we are home (and more so while I am out of town), but I am also interested in protecting our belongings.
My question to the Group is, what would happen if the alarm were tripped and MPD is dispatched? Do officers have some way of accessing the building through our vestibule door security box?
Perhaps more importantly, what happens if a "panic" alarm is triggered - for instance my wife is home alone - do MPD officers have a mechanism by which they can enter the building?
We do NOT have a 24/7desk, it is only attended 9-5, M-F.
Thanks in advance,
- Name witheld
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4 comments:
I'm rather curious about this as well. We had a (thankfully) false alarm a couple weeks back. We talked to Lt. Smith on our way home, and he told us that everything was okay there. When we got home, the alarm was no longer blaring, although it did still register that it had been tripped.
Did the police contact the monitoring station and have them deactivate the alarm, or does it eventually time out? Since they didn't enter the unit, they wouldn't have had access to the alaram panel.
And while our particular unit has a street entrance, the other units in the building are behind a secured entrance. If someone else in our building called, would the police be stuck buzzing at the front door?
We live in a complex that has no front dest at all. So when the manager in not here or not in his office there is no one to respond to the door bell. That being said, our cat tripped our motion detector several times (the first time we went out of town after the installation).
I am told by the neighbors that the police showed up at my front door every time. This indicates to me that they have an access code that they input into our system to gain entry to the building (some of the calls were at night).
I am not sure if it was the alarm company or if the system itself did it but it re-set itself every time.
I am on an ADT system ... If I were in your shoes, I would contact the police department to make sure they have an emergency access code to each of your buildings.
-Haychel
The building, in its infinite wisdom, deleted all access codes so the only way residents (and presumably the police) can get in is our access badges.
I would have to imagine that there is some solution for this - particularly in the days before electronic access systems and 24x7 desks, what would happen if an apartment dweller called 911 but couldn't open his or her door?
sgt. emerman,
thank you for your response. it is very helpful. i completely understand that the number of false alarms makes it impractical for MPD to investigage every alarm signal as if it were a matter of national security!
however, is there any difference in response if the signal is reported to MPD as a "panic alarm" versus a door break, for instance?
or if there were a bona fide medical emergency, how would EMS gain access - would they break the front door at that point?
thanks again,
Lewis
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