FARA Achievement Award:
Honorable Mention
Crime Prevention Security Systems, LLC (CPSS), Gainesville, Florida
Nominated by: John Moorhouse, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (Endorsed by: Ron Walters, CARE, SIAC)
Rationale: I am writing on behalf of Crime Prevention Security Systems, LLC, (CPSS) a locally owned and operated Gainesville, Florida corporation owned/operated by John A. Pastore, Jr. and his wife Randi Elrad and family. They have served the life safety needs of North Central Florida since 1975 and are responsible for installing/servicing/monitoring a wide variety of security products including medical panic, fire suppression, CCTV and access control systems.
CPSS has worked very closely with the law enforcement community during the creation of our ordinances. Although at first Mr. Pastore did not embrace the ordinances with open arms, but is now a total advocate. The ordinances were created in 1999 as result of escalating false alarms. Law Enforcement (Alachua County Sheriff’s Office & the Gainesville Police Department) recognized the need for such ordinances, and with the help of the industry, two ordinances were created and modeled after the Model States Ordinance.
A False Alarm Reduction Unit was then created and has received great success and even boasts reductions up to 76% since inception. CPSS has been very instrumental in taking the lead with the Contractors and Monitoring community and has been very proactive with education in public forums as well as their clients.
CPSS only installs SIA compliant equipment and their staff is certified by the State of Florida to maintain/install/monitor alarm systems. A complete package of servicing their customer base from installation to monthly monitoring has been their greatest asset. CPSS staff is the first line of defense in customer support, and in some instances have gone overboard with customer support/education. They have been able to reach their customer base with hands on education and created procedures for canceling dispatches, and even educate their customers on methods for updating key holders. CPSS staff even donate their time monthly to help teach our False Alarm Reduction Classes taught for both Law Enforcement and Fire Rescue.
CPSS also owns a local monitoring company called Universal Monitoring. Whether it’s on the installing or monitoring side, CPSS is quick to address customer concerns immediately. For CPSS and Universal Monitoring, false alarm reduction is a “win-win” for everyone because it allows Law Enforcement to remain available for other priority responses. It also keeps Deputies/Officers from becoming complacent when responding to alarms, thus keeping both LEO and citizens safer in the event of a true emergency.
It’s easy to recognize the large companies alarm companies when they take action. It’s even harder to realize that over half of our alarm customers are still serviced by local companies such as CPSS, and CPSS deserve the same degree of recognition as much larger companies.
Regardless of your decision, please accept our agency’s gratitude for the outstanding work performed by the members of FARA who work diligently to keep our communities safe.
TO: The FARA, Awards Committee
Re: Industry False Alarm Reduction Achievement Award
I am writing to you on behalf of John Pastore and his company; Crime Prevention Security Systems an alarm company doing business in Central Florida. It is my understanding they are being considered for an award by your organization.
My history with John goes back almost 10 years when I was working with the City of Gainesville and the Alachua County Sheriffs Office to develop ordinances to combat false alarm dispatches. Of particular note here is the fact that the ordinances in these two jurisdictions were the first to my knowledge to adopt the entire FARA Model Ordinance and the results speak for themselves. A reduction in police dispatches of 76% in Alachua County and 74% in the City of Gainesville; and as the largest contractor in the market, CPSS can claim their fair share of those results.
At the time the ordinances were being passed I truly felt that John was a reluctant participant and did not necessarily embrace the concept of alarm reduction. Be that as it may, John participated in the process and listened to what was being said even though some of it might have a potential negative effect on a large part of his customer base. Over the first few years of the ordinance John and his company grew to not only accept but to embrace the concept of alarm ordinances and their intended results. While most companies did the same, as time grew so did John, not just in company size but in stature within his community and the alarm industry in Florida. John became an outspoken proponent for alarm reduction and put his money where his mouth was. I have no way of proving this but I am fairly confident that his company was the first to switch exclusively to the CP-01 alarm equipment, something that I had begun preaching in the mid 90’s.
John also became aggressive within his company to step up the education of his customers and looked at each customer as an investment in his own future. John’s employees recognize that the majority of all dispatches are due to customer error but instead of blaming it on the customer; they do what ever is necessary to train them in the responsible use of their alarms.
The results are apparent as he now runs one of the premiere companies in Florida, and serves on the Alarm Association of Florida Board of Directors and participates locally with the alarm unit in educating all alarm customers in the area. It is the action of companies that are considered mid-to small in size that will eventually change the face of alarm reduction.
When people like John step up and answer the call they set an example for their peers and this has a very desirable trickle down affect. To this day John counsels his peers on the benefits of working hand in hand with law enforcement.
All too often we recognize the large companies when they take action. At times we tend to forget that nationally over half of the alarm customers are still serviced by local companies and companies at this level deserve just as much recognition.
Please consider this letter as my hearty endorsement of Crime Prevention Security Systems as a candidate for this award. Regardless of your decision please accept my gratitude for the good work that is done daily by the members of FARA throughout the country as you work to keep our communities safe.
Best Regards - Ron Walters, Director
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