ECHO-connected intruder and hold-up alarm system URNs top 250,000

Following hot on the heels of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Essex Police and the Metropolitan Police Service, four additional police forces – namely the City of London Police, Northumbria Police, Bedfordshire Police and Kent Police – have recently become ECHO-connected which, according to police estimates, delivers savings of up to four minutes in response times to ‘confirmed’ alarm activations.

In essence, the pioneering ECHO service automatically transfers alarm activation signals from Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCs) to ECHO-connected police Control Rooms and replaces legacy manual voice calling procedures.

Richard Jenkins, CEO at the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) and a director of ECHO, commented: “As ECHO’s pioneering service continues to increase its reach and deliver efficiencies across more regions of the UK in support of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s policy requirements, we welcome and recognise adoption of this new technology as a facilitator of faster police response and crime deterrence.”

Jenkins continued: “At the end of its first full calendar year of operation in 2022, the expanded service now supports over 250,000 intruder and hold-up alarm systems serving residential, commercial and public sector buildings. The seven ECHO-connected police forces are offering homeowners, commercial and publicly operated premises a greater degree of assurance underpinned by speedier and more effective police response.”

Users set to benefit

Over one million active residential and commercial users of professionally installed intruder and hold-up alarm systems (installed by NSI or Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board approved installers) are set to benefit as more police forces across the UK are ECHO-connected during 2023-2024.

Approved installers are encouraged to check with their ARC providers regarding ECHO support for their customers’ intruder and hold-up alarm systems.

Established in 2017, ECHO is a not-for-profit, industry-backed organisation. The British Security Industry Association, the Fire Industry Association, the Electrical Contractors Association and the NSI have all played key roles in developing and implementing the initiative.

*To keep up-to-date with the latest ECHO developments visit the website at www.echo.uk.net or search for ECHO (Electronic Call Handling Operations) on LinkedIn