OPSCOM's alarm system provides critical real-time notifications for specific events, such as a flagged vehicle being scanned or a user triggering a security alert. This article guides administrators on setting up the necessary permissions to view these alarms, as well as how to attach, manage, and clear **Plate Alarms** and **Vehicle Alarms** for both profiles with and without associated user accounts.
### Setup & Configuration ##### System Settings There are a number of system settings you can change on the **Alarms** tab. - **Vehicle Alarm Append Threshold -** the number of minutes before an alarm will create a new dispatch log entry instead of appending to an existing one. - **Plate Alarm Dispatch SubID -** You can set the subID for consistency. - **Allowed Alert Emails** - You enter the addresses of the systems that will be populating alerts into OPSCOM. To add recipients of alerts, use the [setting in this wiki article.](https://opscom.wiki/books/setup-configuration-for-admins/page/email-alert-list-Nbx) To enable administrators to view and manage alarms, proper dispatch permissions must be configured for their roles. ##### Setting up Alarm Permissions 1. 1. Click **System Configuration,** then **Admin Management,** and click **Manage Roles**. 2. Select the administrative role you wish to modify by clicking its **Permissions** button. 3. Within the **Editing Permissions** screen, under the **Dispatch** category, select the permissions related to alarms - View License Plate alarms - Receive License Plate alarms via email - View People alarms - Receive People Plate alarms via email 4. Click **Save Permissions** at the bottom of the page when you are finished. --- ### Using this Feature #### Understanding Plate Alarms **Plate Alarms** are triggered whenever a license plate with an associated alarm is scanned or read by the system. This includes: - **Fixed Cameras**: Entrance and exit cameras. - **Handheld Violation Entries**: By officers in the field. - **LPR Camera Reads**: Mobile and static LPR systems. When a Plate Alarm is triggered, a "ding" sound is typically made (for mobile LPR units), and an alert appears in the OPSCOM system. You can also configure an email address to send alarm details to. If a fixed camera triggers the alarm, the camera's name will be listed.Manually **Chalking Vehicles** from the handheld does **not** trigger an alert.
#### Attaching an Alarm to a Plate Without a Profile Plates can exist in the system without a full user profile if they are initially entered via: - Issuing a **New Violation**, **Violation Warning**, or **Chalking Record** through the handheld or admin side. - Linking the plate to an **Incident** from the admin side. If you search for a plate on the handheld that doesn't exist in the system, you'll see a **black plus symbol** indicating the vehicle is new. On the admin side, when issuing a violation or creating an incident, you'll have an option to add a new vehicle and its information, which is where the alarm can be added.To add an alarm to a plate without a profile, there must be an existing incident, violation, or warning associated with the plate. If a plate only has a chalking record, you will need to issue a violation to it or link it to an incident to access the vehicle information fields required to add an alarm. Chalking records alone do not provide a direct option to view or edit vehicle details.
##### Steps to Add an Alarm to a Plate Without a Profile 1. **Find the Plate**: - Click **Violations,** then **Vehicles,** and click **Search by Plate**. - Enter the **Plate** you wish to add the alarm to (e.g., "JROCK"). - Click the **Vehicle Info** icon next to the search result. 2. **Add the Alarm to the Plate**: - The **Vehicle Information** window will open. Click **Edit Vehicle**. - Toggle the **Vehicle Alarm** checkbox to **On**. You'll see a checkmark appear. - Once toggled, you can add an **Alarm Comment** in the provided field. This comment will be visible to officers and administrators when the alarm triggers. - Click **Update Vehicle** to apply the alarm correctly. When this plate is subsequently scanned by LPR (mobile or fixed cameras), a "ding" sound will be made, alerting officers and allowing them to write a dispatch report if needed. ##### Adding Plate Alarms to Specific Plates (with User Profile) If you know the user associated with the plate you wish to alarm: 1. Go to **User Management,** then **User Search**. 2. Search for and select the user's profile. 3. Click the **Vehicles** tab within their profile. 4. You'll see a list of vehicles and their associated plates. Click the **target plate** you wish to alarm. This will bring up a new window with **Vehicle Information**. 5. Follow **Steps 1-3** from "Adding the Alarm to the Plate" (above) to toggle the **Vehicle Alarm**, add a comment, and **Update Vehicle**. ##### Adding a Plate Alarm to All Vehicles on a User's Profile You can apply a Vehicle Alarm to all vehicles associated with a user's profile directly from their basic profile information. 1. Go to **User Management,** then **User Search**. 2. Search for and select the user's profile. 3. Click **Edit** next to the **Basic Profile Information** section. 4. On the user's profile page, you should see two checkboxes: **Plate alarm** and **People alarm**. 5. Toggle the **Plate alarm** checkbox to **On**. 6. Add a **comment** that will be used for this alert. 7. Click **Update** to apply the alarms.The **People Alarms** and **License Plate Alarms** for this user will share the same message if both are toggled on the user's profile.
--- ### Best Practices & Considerations - **Clear and Concise Alarm Comments**: Use brief, actionable comments that convey essential information quickly to officers and administrators (e.g., "DO NOT APPROACH - WARRANT," "LOST/STOLEN PERMIT," "CONTACT OWNER"). - **Permission Management**: Ensure that only authorized personnel have the ability to set and clear alarms due to their critical nature. - **System Settings for Alarms**: Review global alarm settings under **System Settings** (e.g., `Alarm Duration`, `Email Address` for alerts, `Generic Alarm Append Threshold`) to ensure they align with your operational needs. - **Understanding Alarm Roll-Up**: Be aware that multiple alarms for the same plate/profile will be rolled up into a single dispatch log entry within a 30-minute window to avoid flooding the system with redundant notifications. - **Manually Triggered vs. Automated**: Understand that manual chalking does not trigger alerts, but LPR reads and violation entries do. - **Regular Review**: Periodically review active alarms and dispatch logs to ensure timely responses and to clear alarms that are no longer relevant to keep the system efficient.