False alarm reduction program

Support & Training

A critical component of the turnkey FAMS solution is its training and support of system users and alarm owners. By assuming all responsibility for user adoption of the FAMS system, PM AM allows public safety agencies to concentrate valuable resources to its public safety mission.

FAMS clients have a dedicated team of customer and technical support personnel to provide timely and effective responses to information requests from city officials and alarm owners. Customer support personnel are extensively trained on the unique requirements of their assigned customer’s alarm ordinance and enforcement policies. All PM AM customer support personnel are selected not only for their technical skills and training, but for their relationship and communication skills as well. Every caller will sense their helpful attitude and commitment to the goal of reducing false alarms.

FAMS emphasizes awareness through education of the alarm owner in the proper use of alarm systems in residential and business environments. Our program identifies those violators responsible for the largest number of false alarms and engages them to take corrective measures to prevent false alarms. The training material makes it easy for alarm owners to learn about the city’s false alarm reduction program and work within its guidelines to reduce false alarms.

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Customer Success

Richardson Police Department

In 2003, the Richardson, Texas, Police Department (RPD) acknowledged that it could no longer afford to respond to the growing number of alarms calls because of the high percentage of false alarms. The systems in place to manage the problem were not integrated or even managed by a single department. RPD handled alarm registration, while the finance department handled invoices and collections. The city’s growth had exceeded the capability of manual systems to accurately track and maintain alarm records, with the result that officers could not trust the information and were loathe to enforce the ordinance. Instead of reducing false alarms, they increased – despite the money and resources dedicated to the in-house systems.

That year, RPD announced a Request for Proposal seeking a vendor to provide installation, conversion, operation, and service of an Alarm Tracking and Billing (ATB) system to reduce false alarms.

That objective would be attained by maintaining up-to-the minute records and educating alarm permit holders. An ancillary goal, in lieu of completing eliminating false alarms, was to increase revenues from alarm registration and fines for violations through efficient management of those processes. After reviewing bids from many companies, the proposal from PM AM Corporation was selected.

Working together, RPD and PM AM developed a full-service solution that redirected the limited police resources away from administration of the alarm program. A revenue-sharing business model was created that eliminated all start-up costs for the city while motivating and incentivizing PM AM to execute effective and efficient operations. Immediate cost benefits accrued to the city as PM AM assumed total responsibility for managing the program. Police department resources were freed to concentrate on tasks that are more important.