Operator Joe Orsborn

Joe Orsborn received notifications from video alarms at the ground maintenance area of a Pierce County School District facility yesterday (December 8) at 10 p.m. Tapping into the video alarm monitoring system installed outdoors, Joe could see two people onsite. Joe contacted the district’s guard service and dispatched the Pierce County Sheriff. The security guard called back and advised that he saw a hole in the fence. Meanwhile, police officers arrived and set up containment around the fence. Two suspects were arrested and a third got away.

Video alarm monitoring by Sonitrol Pacific is a good way to protect outdoor spaces. When the security system is armed and the camera detects motion, an alert is sent to our Verification Center. The operator is then able to view the footage in real time and make appropriate dispatch decisions based on what she or he sees. In this case, Joe was able to tell the police dispatcher that he had video evidence of a crime in progress, which led to an expedited dispatch and more intense police response. If Joe did not have the evidence, he would have sent the officers into the situation without any information whatsoever, including details about if the suspects were armed or if an intrusion was even happening at all, instead of the all-too-common false alarm.

A still image from footage recorded at another client with video alarm monitoring.

Video alarm monitoring is a great option for outdoor spaces or indoor facilities where audio detection is impractical, like warehouses with excessive environmental noises. For more information about securing your space with video, please contact us.