To provide greater redundancy and strengthen the reliability of its network, wholesale alarm monitoring services provider C.O.P.S. Monitoring, Williamstown, N.J., has opened its fifth central station.

 Located in Lewisville, Texas, the new 8,000-square-foot facility is hot redundant and will actively share alarm traffic with C.O.P.S.’ other four facilities, located in New Jersey, Florida, Arizona and Tennessee.

 At the helm of the new facility is Derek Kopko, a four-year C.O.P.S. veteran. Since transferring to Texas from the company’s New Jersey headquarters in December 2011, Kopko has been hiring and training the dispatchers who staff the facility. Industry veteran Gene Reed will oversee sales in the region.

 While technology behind the new facility is a main factor in providing reliability, the human element is equally important, said Jim McMullen, president and chief operating officer for C.O.P.S.

 “We believe that reliability depends on more than a UL listing and fault-tolerant technology, it also relies on people,” he said. “We are very excited about the launch of our Texas facility and how it contributes to the reliability of our network of central stations.  Not only is it equipped with the leading technology, our Texas staff strengthens our team of caring professionals who are committed to providing the highest quality alarm monitoring services.”

 C.O.P.S. will host a grand opening event and facility tour at the new location in the coming weeks.