VMON likes to keep its customers up to date with the current legislation and standards and policies affecting Electronic security systems.

ACPO POLICY

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) of England, Wales and Northern Ireland recognise the rapid development of technology and its use within the security systems.  This policy details the police response which can be expected to an electronic security system which is identified in the ACPO “requirements for the security system services”.

To counter-act the time Police use on their resources in relation to false alarms raised by monitored security systems, the ACPO introduced a policy which places strict guidelines on the use of alarm confirmation technology.  Police response will now be reduced or removed if your security system generates to many false alarms.

The latest ACPO policy was released on the 1st April 2006 this replaced the existing policy which was released in 2001.  The police will review this policy every 4-5 years.  In the latest policy it states that during a 12 month period the amount of false alarms is 1-2 to which they will give immediate response to, once you have passed that the police response will be withdrawn and a key holder only will be notified.

If your intruder alarm system was installed prior to 1st April 2006 and does not have confirmed alarm technology, if it raises less than 3 false alarms in a 12 month period it will continue to get a police response.

Once you have had police response withdrawn through raising too many false alarms, you will have to have a period of 6 months in which your system must be free from raising false alarms for 3 consecutive months within that 6 month window.

To have reinstatement of police response once you have had it withdrawn your system must then be updated to the new policy of the alarm confirmation technology which is in accordance to DD 243.

With regards to CCTV systems they must comply and be installed to the standards of the ACPO security systems policy and BS 8418 (the installation and remote monitoring of detector activated CCTV- systems code of practice) and BS EN 50132-7 (CCTV application guidelines).  If fitted to these standards they will be able to gain URN (Unique reference number) for police response.

CCTV- Data Protection Act (DPA)

The Data Protection Act was introduced to safeguard an individual’s right to privacy by promoting suitable standards in the handling of personal information including CCTV video imagery.
Most CCTV installations must comply with an 8 point protection plan of principles concerning good information handling, in which they must be.

• Fairly and lawfully processed.
• Processed for specific purposes.
• Adequate, relevant, and non-excessive.
• Accurate and kept date sensitive where necessary.
• Retained for only as long as necessary.
• Processed within line with the individuals rights.
• Securely stored.
• Only transferred to countries outside the European economic areas with adequate protection of the information.

• All systems must be compliant to the 8 principles.
• All CCTV systems must be registered with the information commissioner (IC)
• Notification period covers 1 year and costs £35 the IC will send a reminder for renewal at a cost of £35. Registering can be done at www.information.gov.uk or by telephone on 01625 545740.

The main issue concerning DPA compliance for digital (DVR) CCTV systems is secure recording devices .

• All recordings logged and tracked to determine period of retention before release to third party.
• All recorded images and digital recording devices must be kept secure.

If your system is non-compliant your.

• Business reputation and finances could suffer.
• Action may be taken by the information commissioner to force you into compliance of the 8 principles.
• Failure to notify or renew notification of your CCTV installation for your business is a criminal offence punishable by a fine, unless exemption is obtained.
• Business is liable to compensation claims from clients for any damaged caused.

Subject Access Request.

Individuals have limited rights under the Act for a copy of any information concerning them.  This is known as the Right of Subject Access.  Such requests must be documented and reasonable, and companies can charge a fee of up to £10 for a document. Replies to this request must be provided within 40 days.

BS 8418 CCTV

British standards BS 8418 is the code of practice covering the installation and remote monitoring of detection activated CCTV systems.  It is designed to raise the installation standards as well as the operation of integrated systems.  The document provides advice on best practice for design, installation and commissioning and operation of detector activated CCTV systems.
The reason the new standard was introduced was to identify if an alarm system was genuine, an increasing number of sophisticated “smart” detectors are being integrated into the systems.
Identification ensures that the appropriate response is taken by monitoring staff, key holders and the police.  DD243 compliance was introduced to minimise the number of false alarm calls on intruder alarms, the introduction of BS 8418 has adopted the same initiative to cover detector activated CCTV and remote monitoring.
The police will restrict the issue of Unique reference number (URN) to BS 8418 compliant systems, affecting not only the design, but also the performance of motion detector detectors, CCTV cameras, alarm handling and system maintenance.
To obtain a URN and qualify for police response your CCTV system must comply with the following.

• ACPO - security systems policy.
• BS 8418 installation and remote monitoring of detector activated CCTV systems code of practice.
• BS EN 50132-7 CCTV application guidelines.
• System must be capable of audio challenge.

EN 50131 / PD 6662 2004 INTRUDER ALARMS.

Since Great Britain joined the European union (EU) in the 1970`s, it has been necessary to harmonise standards across the EU to comply with free trade legislation.
UK  standards (BS) are gradually being replaced with the equivalent European Norms (EN)
The reason for the EN introduction is;

• To enable manufacturers to sell security equipment across the entire European community.
• To enable security installation companies and personnel to work in any EU country.
• To provide more customer understanding and visibility to judge equality of products manufactured in any EU country.

EN 50131 first appeared in the UK in 1977 and in 1988 the BSi published a blueprint for the application of European standards for intruder alarm systems, numbered PD 6662 : 2000.

In 2002, EN 50131 was introduced to replace British standards BS 4737, BS 7042 and BS 6799 in what was meant to be a 12 month phasing out period. This process lasted until 1st October 2005 when the old British standards were finally replaced with the new system compliant with PD 6662: 2004.

During the development, the writers of PD 6662 eradicated many of the problems surrounding the introduction of EN 50131 into the UK. These included the lack of standards concerning components like detectors, control panels, sounders, etc, but further development was inevitable as component sophistication increases.

Components parts of EN 50131.

EN50131-1     General requirements.
EN50131-2     Intrusion detectors.
EN50131-3     Control and indicating equipment.
EN50131-4     Warning devices.
EN50131-5     Inter connections.
EN50131-6     Power supplies.
EN50131-7     Application guidelines installation and maintenance.

British standards BS 4737, BS 7042 and BS 6799 which previously governed specification, installation and maintenance of intruder and hold up alarm systems were replaced by EN 50131 on October 1st 2005 and are supplemented by PD 6662.

The advances of PD 6662 /EN 50131 from British standards.

• It determines both system and design requirements.
• It requires comprehensive risk assessment to determine system design criteria.
• It applies to both hard wired and wire free systems.
• It illustrates system grading, low risk (grade 1) to high risk (grade 4).

DD 243 (Draft for Development)

DD 243 covers the code of practice concerning the introduction, installation and configuration of confirmed intruder alarm systems. Supplementing PD 6662 and EN 50131.
The introduction in 2003 of DD 243 confronted problems surrounding false alarms during setting and un-setting and improving the operation of alarm configuration.
Alarm confirmation technology must now be fitted to all new police calling systems in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The effect of DD 243 will have on your security system is that most systems become un-set at a keypad the moment a door is opened. Using the method under this draft for development, all alarm confirmation must be de-activated once the door opens, meaning that a break in through the front door cannot be relayed for police response.

The DD 243 un-setting methods are,

• System unset by the unlocking of the initial entry door.
• Unlocking of the entry door disables all configuration causing system un-setting internally.
• Opening of the initial door disables all confirmation. (unacceptable to most insurers.)
• Use of electronic tokens like proximity fobs, smart keys, to unset system ( recommended best.)
• System becomes unset in conjunction with alarm receiving centre.

The DD 243 setting methods are,

• Key operated shunt lock for final exit door.
• Exterior push button.
• Final door contact.
• Electronic token. ( recommended best ).
• In conjunction with alarm receiving centre.
• System installed under European standards EN 50131.

Vmon recommends option 4 for both setting and un-setting, using a proximity fob with proximity reader located inside the entry and exit door. This provides a simple operation for key holders and eliminates false alarms triggered by incorrect PIN`s. Electronic keys can be used with a keypad on some existing systems.

The Draft for development recommends that additional audible internal indicators and keypads incorporating token readers are located to allow areas to be unset locally, avoiding accidental lock-in.

The filtering time set by the alarm receiving centre to allow cancellation has been reduced from 3 minutes to 2 minutes.

The DD 243 sets out that systems must have alarm confirmation technology of:-

• Sequential verification.
• Audible verification.
• Visual verification.

With sequential verification, the alarm system is designed to provide separate alarm indications from different devices consecutive with a 30 – 60 minute time span known as confirmation time.  The second indicator confirms that the first was not caused by fault or otherwise.

Detector configuration.
The permitted sequential combinations are:-

• 2 different technology detectors with minimal or non-overlapping areas.
• 2 different technology detectors i.e. break glass and movement.
• 2 dual technology movement detectors, or 1 passive infra red and 1 dual tech movement detector allowing coverage overlap, but with detectors located far apart.
• 1 alarm 1 trigger.
• 1 communications line fault and 1 alarm or tamper.
• Faults on 2 separate communications path.

The non-permitted sequential combinations.

• 2 overlapping single tech movement detectors.
• 1 double knock combination i.e. 2 activations from 1 detector.
• 2 overlapping vibration or break glass detectors.
• 2 foil on same glass window/ door.
• 2 switches on same door.
• 2 atmospheric detectors.
• 2 audible detectors on video motion detectors.

During un-setting, all confirmation is delayed until the entry time has elapsed.  Any alarms activated during that time are classified as unconfirmed and should a main door break in occur following the entry expiry time, 2 additional detectors of that entry route would need to be activated to register a confirmed alarm.

If a second activation is not received at the end of the confirmation time the alarm system may be configured to auto re-arm.  If another activation is received  after this period and after re-arming, the confirmation time restarts when the system re-arms and a detector alarm is still sounding (if the door remains open) it will be by passed and an alert will indicate that an alarm has not been confirmed.

This can be achieved by setting the sounder so that the strobe will only activate when an alarm is sequentially confirmed.  This means that a key holder en route to the site in answer of an unconfirmed alarm, will have a warning of the alarm has now been confirmed.

Audible verification.
The first detector will activate a link to the monitoring staff who will then listen to the premises and decide on the authenticity of the alarm before calling suitable response.

Visual Verification.
The first detector will open a CCTV link to our monitoring staff who will then view the area and if necessary call the key holder or alert the police.

For installations equipped with police response, or were installed before October 2001, unconfirmed alarm signals are acceptable for police response provided that the system is within the false alarm threshold.

Alarm signalling.
Unconfirmed signalling is a single path signal that will initiate a key holder response only, unless it was installed before October 2001 then it may activate police response.

Confirmed signalling.
The preferred solution which ensures that police receive a confirmed alarm signal even following telephone line sabotage. Which is a line cut signal followed by a radio (GSM) signal.