News: Wrong security code

Benny Spears set off a security alarm at his Fayetteville home with a wrong access code Feb. 19, but he gave the correct code moments later.

Fayetteville police responding to the alarm didn't know the correct code had been given until after a confrontation that left Spears dead, authorities said Tuesday.

Fayetteville police shot and killed Spears, 47, saying he came out of the home with shotgun, which he refused to drop and then pointed at an officer.

Washington County Sheriff Tim Helder confirmed Tuesday that ADT Security Services notified Fayetteville police about the alarm, but didn't tell them about the code entries.

"That adds to the tragedy of this," Helder said. "An alarm goes off, the owner gives the wrong code, then gets it right, but the police don't know it."

The sheriff 's office and the Arkansas State Police are investigating the shooting of Spears, a Fayetteville restaurateur. Their findings are expected to be released Thursday.

An internal investigation by Fayetteville police cleared three officers who shot at Spears, finding they perceived an immediate threat and acted in self-defense.

W.H. Taylor, an attorney for Spears' family, said Spears tripped the alarm at 10:21 p.m. when he entered a wrong code on a key pad at 2333 N. Juneway Terrace.

Spears entered the correct code at 10:23 p.m., according to an ADT alarm history Taylor provided to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

One minute later, ADT called Spears' cell phone, but got no answer, the history shows. Then, ADT called Spears' home and got an answering machine.

The company then called a phone number that is disconnected but that is one digit different from Herman's Ribhouse, which Spears coowned.

At 10:26, ADT notified Fayetteville police, who sent officers.

Had police known Spears ultimately entered the correct code, police might have responded differently, Taylor said.

"They might not have gone there in the first place," he said.

Taylor said he's reviewing aspects of Spears' shooting but declined to give details.

ADT offices in Springdale referred questions to an office in Florida, which was closed at press time. An ADT representative said last week that the company doesn't comment on customers.

Fayetteville police Sgt. Shannon Gabbard said police typically cancel their response to a home alarm if the alarm company tells them that alarm has been reset or deactivated.

Some alarm companies have internal procedures requiring them to obtain a code word from a customer who's mistakenly tripped an alarm, Gabbard said.

He wouldn't comment specifically on Spears' case, but said it's important for police to know about alarm code activity before they respond.

"It tells us that somebody at the residence is familiar with the code process, and we can cater our response accordingly," Gabbard said.

The first officer to arrive at Spears' home Feb. 19 heard a man inside yelling about killing a woman, a police dispatch report states.

Police Chief Frank Johnson said the officer checked for signs of forced entry to the home but found none. The officer, whom Johnson didn't name, thought there was a domestic disturbance and called for backup.

Meanwhile, dispatchers tried to call inside the home but got Spears' voice mail. More officers arrived and set up a perimeter.

Two officers knocked on the front door and identified themselves. Spears yelled from inside that "they better have a gun and he was going to kill someone," Johnson said.

The officers backed off, and Spears stepped out the front door with a pistol-grip shotgun. Officers repeatedly shouted for him to drop the gun, but he pointed it at an officer, Johnson said.

A preliminary autopsy shows Spears had three bullet wounds - one in the forehead and another in the left chest from a pistol, and one from a shotgun in the left shoulder area.

Washington County Prosecuting Attorney Terry Jones said nine bullets were recovered from the scene.

Reply to
Jackcsg
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Sounds like this has very little to do with the alarm and a whole lot to do with some nut aiming a shotgun at a bunch of cops.

Reply to
J. Sloud

These guys need some target practice.

-John O

Reply to
John O

It does, but unfortunately when something like this happens, right or wrong, everyone involved gets invited to the picnic. I am sure ADT will spend a bundle proving that they did everything in their power to cancel the alarm and that, as the keeper of the records, they will need to show they did everything possible to have current contact information on this customer because some attorney will be filing a wrongful death suit on behalf of the victims family.

Bob4Secur

Reply to
Bob Worthy

I agree. It wasn't a dig at ADT at all. But it provides a few of us with some training examples. The example I would, and did point out to my CS staff is what a cancel code does. Granted this guy was a poor example of the outcome you'd want to expect, but he had a few issues I guess. I don't think the whole story was reported. Sounds a little domestic to me. Nine shots fired....doesn't sound like they were trying to disable him....

Reply to
Jackcsg

And no matter the outcome ADT will spend a lot of money on it defending themselves

Reply to
Mark Leuck

Depending on the area many police departments will not abort the dispatch if the central station receives and reports a cancel

Reply to
Mark Leuck

Maybe they did 6 warning shots?

Reply to
Mark Leuck

My reply was a defense of the entire industry. The fact that ADT was the central is irrelevant. It would have happened the same way regardless. From reading the article and not having access to all the facts, it appears that the correct code was entered after the allowable time had elapsed for a cancel. ADT's monitoring system is very automated, and there is very little room for operator error.

Reply to
J. Sloud

Arkansas? Warning shots? Like a kid in a candy store sure....

Reply to
Jackcsg

No, but having information that a valid user disarmed the system can change the mindset of the responding authority. Still won't prevent encountering a nutbar, but might have saved a few rounds of ammo....;-)

Reply to
Jackcsg

J, does ADT even use cancel signals? I'm just asking an honest question. I agree, there are obviously a few missing facts.

Reply to
Jackcsg

ADT did nothing wrong. If they were unable to reach anyone at the premise with a valid code, the did the correct thing by dispatching. A home invasion type crime would most likely result in the homeowner being forced to turn the system off. Without a duress code, central station would receive the alarm and then an opening. There only way to confirm that it was user error was for the homeowner to answer, identify himself and give a valid pass code. ADT would not normally cancel a dispatch because they received an opening after an alarm.

The problem all the way round was Benny.

Reply to
Allan Waghalter

It's entirely possible that the police may have saved one or more lives that night. Who knows what this fellow might have done?

Reply to
Robert L. Bass

I believe so. Thee may be some info on it here:

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Reply to
J. Sloud

Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't

Reply to
Mark Leuck

I didn't see anything on their web site about cancel signals, just their "enhanced call verification". What's your typically policy on cancel signals Mark? Do you guys use them? Or anybody for that matter.

Reply to
Jackcsg

I didn't see anything either.=20

But, their online price estimator is an eyeopener for anyone expecting a = low price on a full system. Try comparing a residential alarm you sell = to what it would cost from ADT...interesting!=20

I send cancels. It drops dispatch priority down a notch. We know someone = is there with "A" code, but is it the cleaning lady that they fired 2 = months ago or what?

So we try calling premise again - then dispatch.

Same for Exit Errors.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

low price on a full >system. Try comparing a residential alarm you sell to what it would cost from >ADT...interesting!

ADT is not in my league, so I seldom see comparison's. I used to tell people that their average sale was around $800.00 from their "get me in the door" $99.00 deals. An old (ex) ADT Branch manager told me their average sale.

there with "A" >code, but is it the cleaning lady that they fired 2 months ago or what?

I send cancels, and o/c reports (if Internet Connected). I don't see too many user activations as typically they don't physically get through the door if their not allowed.

Hey Rob, off topic, have you seen the cut sheets on the new 7000 series keypads from DMP? They are know available. The 7063 has a built-in reader, much like the 793, but with no zone inputs, reader input, relay output, or big cost. I'm going to order a couple monday and have a look at them.

Reply to
Jackcsg

Yes, cancel codes seems to be common practice in our area. But ADT (at least in our area) don't seem to use cancel codes. Since they are so huge, they likely don't want to see cancel codes coming in from their 5 million customers, because this would undoubtably increase their staffing costs on the boards dramatically. So typically what they do here is program a 30 second delay before transmission (even with the risks that entails...). But if the signals do come in beyond that period, they only call the home, THEN dispatch, then continue down the customer calling list. In our area, this causes untold false alarms - so much so, that local police forces (as I'm told) automatically treat every ADT dispatch as a false alarm.

My partner company called me up the other day to tell me that he finally got rid of the last of his clients on ADT's station, having swung them over to the local station we both use. He invited me out for a drink to celebrate. I still have 16 to go....:((((

RHC

Reply to
R.H.Campbell

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