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The Metropolitan Police Service has reported a sharp decline in false alarm activations across the Capital during the past year, in spite of the fact that the total number of remotely-monitored alarm systems in London has risen by over 35,000 in the same period.

Speaking at the BT RedCARE-sponsored Metropolitan Police Alarm Performance Awards 2003 ceremony, held at New Scotland Yard, Commander Ron McPherson – head of the Met's Communications Division – said: "More than 25% of all remotely-monitored alarm systems in the UK are in the London area. That's almost 250,000 systems that are being monitored by the Capital's police service."

In 2002, false activations were down by 56,000 to 93,733 – realising McPherson's 'dream' of less than 100,000 activations for the calendar year just finished.

Launched in 1999 as the first initiative of its kind to be implemented by a police force anywhere in the UK, the Alarm Performance Awards are designed to recognise those companies that have had the lowest false alarm rates within the Metropolitan Police's boundary zones during the past year.

The scheme is also designed to encourage installers and their clients to improve standards in alarm system design and commissioning.

As is the norm, this year's competition was divided into three categories, encompassing small (50 to 999 installations), medium (1,000 through to 4,999 installations) and large-sized companies (the latter category contested between those firms installing over 5,000 systems in the year). The 2003 winners are:

Small Companies
Gold Award: Cox Security
Silver Award: Protech Alarms
Bronze Award: Capital Security Alarms

Medium Companies
Gold Award: Tara Burglar Alarms
Silver Award: London East Security Centre
Bronze Award: Spy Alarms

Large Companies
Gold Award: Chubb Electronic Security
Silver Award: Banham Alarms
Bronze Award: ADT Fire and Security