• Reviews requests for installation or modification of any alarm system
• Reviews response protocols for alarm systems
• Reviews existing alarm systems to determine necessity for any changes
• Reviews policies related to alarm systems and the necessity for any changes 

1. Campus Safety
2. Security Engineering Services
3. Information Technology Services
4. Office of General Counsel
5. Other groups as needed 

The University of Iowa Health Care is exempt from this policy as they provide central monitoring and response for their internal alarm systems. 

Departments are required to report the existence of any intrusion and/or panic alarm system to Security Engineering Services by December 31, 2024. Campus Safety may require an inventory as needed in the future after the initial inventory.

Security Engineering Services (SES) designs, installs, or oversees installation, and maintains security systems throughout the University of Iowa campus. Security devices, control panels, and all associated wiring, cabling, telephone, and network connections are the responsibility of the department and SES. SES will be used to maintain the system at the expense of the department. If any exceptions are requested the Alarm Approval Committee will consider them on a case-by-case basis.

New Construction 

For newly constructed or renovated facilities SES is to be included in and have input in program design meetings for all of projects and remodel/refurbish projects on campus that include security and video surveillance devices as a part of the design and eventual monitoring. Campus Safety and SES will use a security assessment tool to advise departments on the minimum building security requirements for these kinds of projects.

Existing Facilities

Prior to purchasing security equipment to be added to existing facilities departments are required to request a site inspection conducted by Security Engineering Services to determine the department’s purpose in requesting an alarm system and to provide advice and approval of its configuration.

Installation Costs

All costs for purchase and installation of security systems alarm devices shall be borne by the appropriate project budget or the department or unit making the requests, with the understanding that meeting the minimum standards is the goal.

Central Monitoring

All approved alarm systems are required to be connected to a central monitoring system located at Campus Safety. The Alarm Approval Committee will consider any exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

New Security System Installation

All new alarm installations on campus must have accompanying user training provided by SES or the approved vendor to include access control, article protection, and intrusion devices. The department will create an internal policy with input and approval from Campus Safety.  The alarm system operations policy must include: 

1. Arming and disarming the system
2. Response to real alarms
3. Response to false alarms
4. How to update information
5. How to test the alarm system

The end user is required to perform annual staff training for its personnel, as well as new employee training as needed. The department is required to test systems annually at the department's expense. The end user and vendor will schedule the annual testing three (3) weeks in advance with the Emergency Communications Center.

In July of each year Campus Safety’s Emergency Communications Center will contact each alarm account holder to update contact information to include three points of contact, their email addresses and phone numbers.

As of Jan. 1, 2018, SES is the sole service provider (installation and maintenance) for alarm systems on campus. Maintenance costs for alarm systems are the responsibility of the department. Departments will be assessed a monthly fee per panel for license, monitoring hardware upgrades and programming.

The University of Iowa Police Department (UIPD) will respond to all alarms received by the Emergency Communications Center. The alarm account holder is required to maintain their systems and training to reduce the number of false alarms reporting to UIPD. When an alarm occurs, the Emergency Communications Center will attempt to contact an alarm account holder and their alternate contacts. If a police officer responds to an alarm that is determined to be false, and it occurs 3 times in a 24-hour period, UIPD will request permission from the alarm account holder to disable the alarm until the account holder advises UIPD that the system is operational. In the event a UIPD supervisor cannot contact an alarm account holder, the UIPD supervisor has the authority disable the account on a temporary basis.

DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF FALSE ALARMS AND OR ALARMS THAT ARE NOT VERIFIED, THE TYPICAL POLICE RESPONSE IS A NORMAL RESPONSE, NOT AN EMERGENT RESPONSE THAT WOULD POSE A RISK TO THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. CAMPUS SAFETY ENCOURAGES THE USE OF 911, EVEN IF THE ALARM IS ACTIVATED, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE BEST RESPONSE POSSIBLE.

Hold-up alarms are installed in areas where the risk of robbery is heightened because of the nature of the work unit's business and/or environment factors. All electronic devices installed to actuate and transmit a "silent" alarm signal to UIPD and/or other designated police or security agency.

Duress alarm systems are installed in areas where the risk of personal confrontation is heightened because of the nature of the work unit's business and/or other environmental factors. All electronic devices installed to actuate and transmit a "silent" alarm signal to University Police and/or other designated police or security agency.

Installations of Duress and/or Hold-up alarms that are expected to be monitored and responded to by University Police will conform to the following:

1. All Hold-up/Duress alarm locations must be vetted and approved by Security Engineering Services in conjunction with University Campus Safety.
2. Duress and/or Hold-up alarm buttons will only be installed where there is an extreme (and predictable) safety risk to university personnel and where no other viable options are available.
3. A written procedure must be developed in conjunction with Campus Safety. This procedure must be followed by Departmental staff.
4. Yearly training and testing of buttons will be required and at the expense of the Department.
5. A training certification must be completed by any staff, student, or faculty member that has access to the button and is responsible for its activation.
6. Video surveillance cameras per UI Policy, will be installed covering the button and immediate area surrounding the Duress/Hold-up installation at the Department requesting, expense.
7. Installations will be hard-wired only, with few exceptions. Mobile or personnel-worn wireless Duress/Hold-up buttons will only be used where hard-wired options are not available.