Security Alarm Systems

Oklahoma State University Policy and Procedures

3-0521, Business and Finance

November 1983

 

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Purpose

1.01

The purpose of this policy is to develop standard and consistent guidelines relating to the purchase, installation, and operation of alarm systems on campus to be used by University-related departments or private entities.

 

Policy

2.01

University departments and non-university entities located on campus may desire to install security alarm systems where assets and/or sensitive property are of sufficient value to warrant protection. A proposal for the installation or expansion of an alarm system that is to be monitored and responded to by police personnel must be submitted to and have prior approval of the Director of Security.

2.02

Any system that is installed shall be a standard system and shall be compatible with and connected to standard monitoring equipment already existing in the Security Department.

2.03

The purchase or installation of security alarm equipment by University departments other than the Physical Plant Department is prohibited. Estimates of cost to install and maintain a security alarm system shall be obtained from the Physical Plant.

2.04

The alarm system specifications are developed by the Physical Plant and Security Departments based on system requirements as determined by the requesting department. The final determination of need and justification of estimated installation and maintenance costs shall be made by the head of the requesting department.

 

Procedures

3.01

A department desiring to install or expand an alarm system should submit a request for approval to the Director of Security. Upon receipt of written approval from the Director of Security, a campus order with copy of letter attached should be prepared and submitted to the Physical Plant requesting an estimate of cost for the desired security system. An estimate of cost will be provided on the campus order form that is returned to the requesting department.

3.02

When a department has requested the Physical Plant via campus order to estimate/install a security alarm, a meeting will be scheduled between the requesting department head, a representative of the Safety Department, and a representative of the Security Department. At this meeting the following will be determined:

1. The hours of operation of the location to be alarmed
2. How many departmental personnel will need keys
3. What type of equipment, merchandise, money, will be kept on thepremises
4. Daytime custodial service
5. Necessary lock changes to limit access
6. Emergency call personnel and their duties
7. Brief description of OSU alarm response procedures
8. Warning stickers
9. When departmental personnel will be in the building
10. The requesting department's responsibilities for alarm maintenance/changes

3.03

Representatives of the Safety and Security Departments will make an onsite inspection of the area to be alarmed. Based on the limitations of the equipment and the requirements of the Security Department, a basic installation plan and estimate for the alarm system will be prepared. The alarm plan will observe the three items listed below:

1. Alarm systems must be compatible with existing equipment.
2. When the area to be protected involves multi-floors or more than 1,000 square feet, the alarm must be capable of indicating to the police dispatcher which floor or area has been violated.
3. Hold-up or "panic" buttons are discouraged and will be used only on special justification, approved by the Director of Security. When approved, the police dispatcher must be able to distinguish between a standard security alarm violation and a hold-up activation.3.04When the estimate and schematic plan of the security alarm has been completed, it will be submitted to the Director of Safety and Director of Security for their approval. Once approved, the Physical Plant will return the campus order with estimated costs to the requesting department.

3.05

If upon receipt of the cost estimate the head of the requesting department determines that the cost justification merits the installation or expansion of an alarm system, the campus order should be signed on Line 14C, the letter of approval from the Director of Security should be attached to the order, and both should be forwarded to the Comptroller's Office for further processing.

3.06

After the funds have been encumbered against the requesting department's account, the campus order will be forwarded to the Physical Plant. All the necessary materials will then be ordered and installation of the system will be completed by the Physical Plant Department.

3.07

When installation is completed, a representative of the Safety Department will conduct an on-site inspection to determine if the alarm was installed as designed and is working properly. This will include an inspection of the security alarm receiving panel in the police dispatchers office.

3.08

Following installation of the alarm system, the Physical Plant will notify for insurance purposes the University Business Manager's Office of each new installation or expansion of an existing system.

3.09

When it has been established that the alarm system is functioning properly and a campus order has been received by Physical Plant for system maintenance, a training meeting will be scheduled with the user department personnel who will have access to alarm keys. This training meeting will be one hour in length and will cover:

1. Responsibilities of individuals with an alarm key
2. Brief description of OSU Police alarm response procedures
3. Alarm functions
4. Responsibilities, if an alarm key is lost
5. Marking of alarm key
6. sCarrying alarm keys
7. Using alarm keys (practical application)
8. Actual setting of alarm by each person as if they were going home for the night or coming to work in the morning
9. False alarm procedures
10. Maintenance and alarm checking procedures

3.10

The Physical Plant Department will provide periodic inspections of theequipment to determine that the system is operating properly. The Physical Plant isalso responsible for continuing maintenance of all University security alarm systems.Outside commercial firms are not authorized to perform maintenance on Universitysecurity alarm systems.

3.11

The department involved agrees to maintain a campus order in effect at the Physical Plant Department and at the Security Department at all times to provide forcontinuous, regular inspection and maintenance of the security system after it isinstalled. Charges for inspection and maintenance will be billed to the department on aregular basis. Failure to maintain the campus order in effect or to pay for routinemaintenance, inspection service, or false alarm answering service will result in thesystem being discontinued and disconnected from operation.

3.12

Nonuniversity entities desiring to install a security alarm system in their locationin a University facility shall be required to abide by the following additionalprocedures.

1. Such a system shall be designed, installed, and maintained by the installer. Equipment must be compatible with University alarm receiving equipment and must be acceptable to OSU Security Department. Design shall be reviewed by Security prior to beginning of installation.
2. Such system shall terminate in a module on the University receivingpanel at the OSU Security Department. The non-university entity shallfurnish the Director of Security with a letter authorizing the PhysicalPlant to purchase and install the module and to bill the entity for the cost. In addition, the entity shall agree in writing to pay for repairs or replacement of the module should either become necessary.
3. The nonuniversity entity installer shall be acceptable to the OSU Security Department and shall agree to abide by Department's restrictions on alarm maintenance.
4. The non-university entity having the alarm installed shall be responsible for ensuring that the alarm is maintained and tested every 90 days. Approval of the OSU Security Department must be obtained before such tests and maintenance occur. The test results shall berecorded in a log book maintained by the Security Department dispatcher.
5. Any such system causing frequent false alarms shall be disconnected after the owner has been duly notified in writing.

3.13

Procedures for operating a security alarm system must be developed by the requesting department in coordination with the Security Department. Operatingprocedures for both University and non-university entities must include plans forroutine as well as unscheduled opening and closing of secured areas, identification of personnel authorized to bypass the alarm, and identification of personnel and alternates responsible for responding to alarm signals.

3.14

The Security Department will develop a detailed response procedure for eachentity having an alarm installed. The procedure will be prepared and in place beforethe final connection is made on the alarm. The procedure will include the following:

1. Name, location, and phone number of the alarmed area
2. The name of the service company and their telephone number
3. The names and home phone numbers of the service personnel
4. The type of alarm system
5. How to activate and reset the alarmWhere alarm keys are located
6. The exact location of alarm
7. The names and home phones of personnel who are issued keys
8. The names and home phones of emergency callout personnel
9. OSU Security alarm response procedure
10. Alarm notification procedures

3.15

False Alarms - False alarms generally fall into two categories, equipmentmalfunction and employee error. More than three false alarms in one or the othercategory in one month can result in the alarm being disconnected until appropriatemeasures are taken to ensure proper alarm usage. The agencies having alarms installed will be assessed a standard andset fee annually by the OSU Security Department to cover the cost ofadditional equipment purchased, equipment renewal, routine monthly alarm checks and false alarms responses. Fifteen dollars per alarm check will be assessed to cover the expenseof two officers checking the alarm system. False alarms that are caused by employee error will be the basis for a $15 response assessment. No assessment will be made on the first false alarm in one month, but each additional false alarm will cause a $15a ssessment for each.

3.16

Failure to comply with operating procedures as set forth herein or in an operations manual or failure to comply with the stipulation of this policy can result in the system being disconnected or discontinued from operation.