# Emergency Dispatch in New Alarms Dispatch is the process by which a monitoring agent sends emergency first responders (typically police) to a site when triggered by an alarm event workflow. Not every alarm results in dispatch. Dispatch is determined by the alarm response configuration, customer response, and local law enforcement requirements. The table below outlines some common dispatch scenarios based on your site's alarm response configuration, and some common issues that could arise depending on jurisdictional requirements and use cases. | **Scenario** | **Outcome** | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Immediate Dispatch response configured](#immediate-dispatch-response-configured) | Police are contacted first, then the customer is notified | | [Standard response configured](#standard-response-configured) | Alarm contact list user answers and approves dispatch, or the agent escalates to dispatch after exhausting the designated contact list | | [Permit missing](#permit-or-compliance-requirements-not-met) | Police may refuse response (jurisdiction dependent) | | [Key holder unavailable](#key-holder-on-site) | Police may refuse response (jurisdiction dependent) | | [High false alarm history](#excessive-false-alarms-or-false-dispatches) | Police may suspend site from response | | [Camera covering public space](#camera-covering-a-public-area) | Police may refuse response (or require key holder present) | *** ### Emergency dispatch criteria Dispatch can be triggered in different ways depending on the site’s alarm response configuration. The two most common methods are outlined below. #### Immediate Dispatch response configured When a site is configured for Immediate Dispatch, the monitoring agent's first action upon a verified alarm is to contact police directly before calling the customer. The agent will then work through the contact list to notify the customer and explain the situation and actions taken. * If a contact answers and requests cancellation, the agent will make best efforts to call off the dispatch. * The alarm remains active for 4 hours after dispatch is initiated unless a user resolves it. After resolution, the agent will make best efforts to call off the dispatch. #### Standard response configured When a site is configured for Standard response, the agent calls through the contact list. If no one responds after two attempts per contact, the agent dispatches police. The agent also dispatches if a contact answers and approves. Customers can also request dispatch manually via the incident link or Command at any point during an active alarm. *** ### Other external requirements for emergency dispatch Depending on the jurisdiction, law enforcement may require specific conditions to be met before they will respond to an alarm. The examples below highlight some common requirements but do not include all possible scenarios. Requirements vary widely by city and police department. When onboarding a site or investigating a refused dispatch, use this as a starting point and always verify the specific requirements for that jurisdiction before enabling dispatch. #### Alarm permit Many cities require the site to hold a valid alarm permit issued by the local authority. Operating without a permit may result in refusal to respond or a fine. #### Key holder on site Some jurisdictions require a verified key holder (an authorized contact) to be present or en route before police will respond. This is intended to reduce unnecessary deployment to false alarms. Always verify jurisdiction-specific requirements during site setup and ensure customer contacts are aware of any key holder obligations. *** ### Reasons police may refuse emergency dispatch Even when dispatch is initiated from the monitoring agent, law enforcement may decline to respond. Some common reasons customers may experience are outlined below. #### Permit or compliance requirements not met If your site does not hold a required [alarm permit](https://app.gitbook.com/s/9tIFgMOGbY4p9wWaKQhl/compliance-and-licensing/classic-alarms-licensing/determine-relevant-alarm-permits), or if a key holder cannot be confirmed, police in many jurisdictions may refuse to respond. Contact your local authority to check the alarm response requirements for your area. #### Excessive false alarms or false dispatches Most jurisdictions operate a false-alarm/false-dispatch policy. If a site has accumulated a large number of unverified or invalid alarms, police may add it to a blacklist until the issue is resolved. This is sometimes referred to as a site being "in penalty" or "suspended." * Review the site's alarm activity and camera configurations to identify the root cause. * You or your partner may need to contact your local law enforcement authority directly to restore response. #### Camera covering a public area If a camera is positioned to monitor a public space (e.g., a footpath, public road, or shared area) and repeatedly triggers alarms for pedestrians or passersby, police may refuse to respond. To help address this issue, you may want to consider taking the following actions: * Review your camera's field of view and alarm trigger configuration. * Use a layered response strategy for outdoor and public-facing areas, where lower-threshold events trigger [deterrence](https://help.verkada.com/new-alarms/configuration/configure-ai-powered-deterrence) first and only sustained presence escalates to an alarm. This helps filter out casual passersby while still identifying genuine loitering.