Armed Response

Armed response links your property's alarm system to people who can act. When an alarm zone or a panic button is triggered, the signal is received by our monitoring and control room, which attempts to verify it and dispatches an armed reaction officer to the address.

On arrival, the officer checks the perimeter and points of entry, looks for signs of forced entry, and acts according to what they find: securing the scene, assisting anyone in danger, calling the police where a crime has taken place and remaining until the situation is under control. You or your nominated contacts are kept informed throughout.

• Homeowners and families who want help on the way when the alarm or a panic button goes off, day or night
• Townhouse complexes and estates that want reaction to back up their gate and perimeter security
• Shops, offices and small businesses that are empty after hours
• Warehouses and yards with stock or equipment that cannot be watched all night

Armed response is often the first layer of security a property has. Where the risk is higher, it is combined with patrols or static guards on site.

Many companies advertise response in a fixed number of minutes. We prefer to be straight with you: how quickly an officer reaches any property depends on where it is, traffic, the time of day and what else is happening at that moment. That is why we confirm coverage and response arrangements for your specific address after assessment, rather than quoting a headline figure.

What we do commit to is that alarms are acted on, that reaction officers are PSIRA-registered and screened, that they act within the law, and that you receive feedback after each callout. Reaction officers have the same powers of arrest as any private person; they are not a substitute for the police, and we involve SAPS where a crime is committed.

To provide armed response we need a working alarm system that can signal to our control room, with sensible zones and at least one panic option. We check your existing system and, if it is outdated or unreliable, can quote on a new alarm system or panic buttons.

We also collect your contact list, passwords for verification calls and any site information officers need, such as gate access arrangements, dogs on the property or vulnerable occupants. This information is held securely and used only to respond to your property.

Every activation is treated as real until shown otherwise. If an alarm turns out to be false, we tell you and help identify the cause, such as a faulty sensor, a pet or a door left unlatched, so it can be fixed. Repeated false alarms usually mean the system needs attention.

Armed response is normally an ongoing monthly service. Terms, call-out arrangements and what happens with repeated false alarms are set out in your written agreement.