I thought I would drop you a line with regard to the Metropolitan Police's new 'Premium Keyholder Registration' database.
Now, whilst this is a laudable idea, businesses are being asked to pay for the price of registration at £35 + VAT.

Remembering that all audible alarms are legally obliged to register keyholders with the police, this is tantamount to a licence to print money.

Now what set my blood boiling is that the registration of keyholders comes under the Local Authority Act 1991, with regard to properties in the Greater London Area. I remember during the years 1991-94 every installation we undertook we gave a keyholder registration card ( yellow in colour, oblong in shape ) to our clients, expressing the need to return the registration card to the nearest police station as soon as possible. During this period more often than not our clients reported back to us that either the desk sergeant did not know what this registration was for, or our clients had the registration card refused. In 1994 we as an installing company were told by our local police that there were no more registration cards available and registration was being faded out (I'm sure other installers can back me up on this).

  In conclusion, it appears that when it became a tiresome project to register keyholders the 1991 Local Authority Act was completely ignored by the police, yet now it appears to be a money spinner the Police are falling over themselves to get businesses to register, also I have heard it mentioned that those that do not register are likely to be refused police response.

  I eagerly await the next proposal from the Met to make our lives difficult.

Mike Lynskey replies ...

Barry, you have my sympathy! I recall some years ago that the police insisted that we (the installers) should go and register at the local police station before EVERY visit to test or repair a system that included the old tape dialler (remember them) so that the police would know NOT to turn out. The problem was that they forgot to tell the bobby on the desk and we had a scenario like yours almost every day of our lives in a vast number of police stations. We would register and tell them not to turn up – they turned up anyway. I got to the point of saying to the customers "I am going to test the dialler – put the kettle on". The system didn't last long. However, I can see the situation from the other end. There are vast numbers more communicated systems out there nowadays and we have a central computer in every force HQ to supply this info – it needs to be kept up to date. This means many hours of work, This must be costing the police (and us) £millions. Perhaps it is fair to charge those who use the system and relieve the burden on those who don't?

Source

Security Installer

Postscript

Barry Hamblin
Davenheath – OTS, London E4
stgeorge@barryhamblin.freeserve.co.uk