Contact
Irene Benavides
irene.benavides @austin.utexas.edu
512-232-9616

Alarm Updates

If you have any questions, please contact Irene Benavides at irene.benavides@austin.utexas.edu or 512-232-9616

• The alarm administrator is responsible for completing the UTPD Alarm Administration Form (Excel document). Any authorization list that consists of several users for an alarmed area has to be alphabetized by last name. All users (faculty, staff, student), for an alarmed area have to be consolidated into one listing.
• Forms must be updated anytime any alarm information changes, including people utilizing the alarmed room or alarm equipment for each alarmed room (i.e. Loop alarm).
• Even if there are no changes, forms must be updated annualy on September 1.
• Panic alarms must be tested monthly by contacting UTPD dispatch at 471-4441. If you fail to notify dispatch before you test, an officer will be immediately dispatched!

When an Alarm is Activated

Police need to be immediately notified whenever an alarm is accidentally set off. Failure of the user to immediately call the police to report that the alarm was false constitutes a criminal offense of false report.

UTPD will respond to alarm activations, check for signs of criminal activity, and attempt to reset the alarm using the code provided by the alarm administrator on the alarm form. If the alarm does not reset, it will be placed on close patrol. If you accidentally set off the alarm, or if it is a false alarm, call UTPD immediately.

If anyone is found in the area of an alarm activation, we will identify the subject and check our authorization list on the form provided by the alarm administrator. The following scenarios illustrate what an officer will encounter:

1. Subject is on the UTPD Alarm Administration Form and authorized for room (the subject did not call before UTPD responded and the officer will write a report).
2. Subject is not on the UTPD Alarm Administration Form and is authorized for room (the subject has keys to the alarmed room; however, the form has not been updated. The officer will write a report and leave the “unauthorized” subject in the room).
3. Subject is not on the UTPD Alarm Administration Form and is not authorized for room (UT student, staff, or faculty that has keys to building — then “unauthorized” subject will be escorted out of the room and the officer will write a report.
4. Subject is not on the UTPD Alarm Administration Form and is not authorized for room/building (non UT affiliated — then the subject will be escorted out of the building, given a written criminal trespass warning, and the officer will write a report).

In any of the above scenarios, a report will be sent to the alarm administrator for that room. Appropriate action will then be taken.

Choosing A Personal Identification Code (PIC)

For the police to identify and establish a caller as authorized, the caller will have to give their name and their Personal Identification Code (PIC). The PIC must not be the person’s UT EID or Social Security Number.

A PIC should be individually chosen by the user and not by the department because it will be more easily remembered by the user. History has shown that when a PIC is issued by the department, a user has a greater tendency to forget the code that was assigned to them. A PIC can be any word (favorite color, pet’s name, type of car you drive), numbers, letters or combination of any of the three.

Submitting an Alarm Update Form Online

Download and complete the Alarm Permissions Form (Excel document).

Alarm updates must be sent using the Secure Message System (EID required).

The alarm administrator must submit a letter on a departmental letterhead signed by the Chair or Dean indicating that you are the alarm administrator for the area you are updating. If you are no longer the alarm administrator (contact person), or if you have any questions, please contact Irene Benavides.

• The date the form was submitted or updated must be completed or changed prior to submitting.
• Two alarm administrators will be necessary, with their office phone number, home number, cell number, and e-mail address. As before, these alarm administrators will still need to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• One room per form — if you are an alarm administrator for multiple rooms, complete a form for each room. Multiple alarms are now documented per room).
• If you have a room with shared responsibilities then a form per alarm administrator is needed (i.e., you own the keypad alarm and someone else owns the loop alarm).

Directions for Sending a Secure Message

Remember, all fields markes with an asterix (*) are required.

• From the Send Secure Message page, choose “No thanks, I'll use the all-in-one form.”
• Recepient Information
  • E-mail 1: irene.benavides@austin.utexas.edu
  • EID: irb1822
• Create the Notification E-mail:
  • e-mail subject, please use “Alarm Updates for [your building name]”
  • Personalize the Notification E-mail: can be left blank.
• Authorize Others to View, Track, and Modify Your Secure Message (optional)
  • This section can remain blank.
• Secure Message Information
  • Expiration Date: two weeks from submission date recommended.
  • Secure Message: please include your name, department, building, room number(s), what your submitting or updating, and contact information.
  • Attachments: attach a form for each room.
  • If you have more than five forms, we recommend grouping them together into a single ZIP file.
    To create a ZIP files, first select the files you want to group (compress) together.
    For Windows users, right-click and choose Send to › Compressed (zipped) folder
    For Mac users, right-click and choose Compress items
• Submit Options
  • If you choose “Preview Message,” your attachments will be lost and you will have to re-attach them.