Sheriff Lee Baca (right) with George Gunning, expressed his support for the Los Angeles security community at the August GLASAA meeting.

“I wanted to come here to pay my respects for what you do,” said Sheriff Baca, who leads a department of more than 9,000 officers. He spoke about the need for technology and he felt there are not enough alarms in the community or the right kind. “I have gone to alarm calls for 39 years and I do not have any complaints,” Sheriff Baca said. “Yes, there are false alarms, but so what?” Baca did suggest a simpler system and process to deactivate alarms based on personal experience. He said alarm systems are a tool for public safety, not a perfect one, but law enforcement can work with it.

The meeting, which took place at the Los Angeles Police Academy, drew more than 125 GLASSA members. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department averages 150,000 alarm calls a year, with around 75% of them being false. The County provides a letter for the first false alarm, a second activation results in a stern letter, and the third false activation results in a letter outlining the fines that will be assessed on the next false alarm. “I need something from your industry, but I don’t know what it is,” said Baca. “I want to talk to vendors and others about the technology that we have and can develop to address public safety issues, and how we can address them more effectively together.”