The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) has launched the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) Service to streamline how alarm-monitoring companies send incident data to emergency communications centers. By feeding alarm details directly into HCSO's CAD system, the new system eliminates many back-and-forth phone calls, reduces transcription errors, speeds response times for police, fire/rescue, and EMS, and enhances situational awareness with photos and links. Implemented in just over four months, ASAP helps address heavy call volumes (650,000–700,000 annually, including ~300,000 911 calls and ~20,000 alarms) and staffing pressures, allowing telecommunicators to focus on higher-priority voice calls. Multiple major alarm companies are live on the service at launch.
HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn., Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) announced today that it has launched ASAP (Automated Secure Alarm Protocol) Service, a digital alarm service that automates the exchange of alarm information between alarm-monitoring companies and emergency communications centers (ECCs). The service marks a significant milestone in HCSO's ongoing efforts to enhance public safety operations and support its emergency communications staff.
By automating alarm data exchange through ASAP Service, HCSO expects to reduce repetitive and time-consuming interactions between alarm-monitoring companies and telecommunicators, freeing personnel to focus on higher-priority voice calls and helping offset staffing challenges experienced by ECCs nationwide.
Addressing Call Volume and Staffing Challenges
"Our telecommunicators handle hundreds of thousands of calls every year, and alarm activations alone can involve multiple back-and-forth calls for a single event," said Tony Martin, HCSO director of emergency communications. "By implementing ASAP Service, we're streamlining that process, improving accuracy, and helping responders get to the scene faster."
ASAP was developed by The Monitoring Association (TMA) to lessen the impact of alarm notifications that typically enter an ECC over nonemergency administrative telephone lines. ASAP Service enables alarm-monitoring companies to send alarm event data directly into the ECC's computer-aided-dispatch (CAD) system — eliminating the need for voice calls, minimizing transcription errors, significantly reducing response times for police, fire/rescue, and emergency medical units, and improving situational awareness by sending photos, video links, and attachments.
From Planning to Launch in Just Four Months
ASAP implementation was completed in just over four months, demonstrating HCSO's commitment to adopting innovative technology and reducing the strain on ECC personnel. Each year, HCSO receives and processes approximately 650,000 to 700,000 emergency and nonemergency calls, including about 300,000 emergency (911) calls. Within that total, roughly 20,000 alarm-related calls originate from within the county's coverage area.
"Many of our neighboring agencies that launched ASAP Service have seen great results," Martin said. "We're proud to bring this to HCSO as part of our broader effort to reduce telecommunicator workload, improve retention, and continue modernizing how we serve the community."
As of go-live, the following alarm-monitoring companies are transmitting alarms via ASAP Service to HCSO's ECC: Affiliated, Alert 360, Becklar/Avantguard, Brinks, Dynamark, Everon/Protection One, Per Mar, Quick Response, Rapid Response, Security Central, Securitas, Tyco/JCI, Vector Security, Vivint, and United Central Control.
For more information on the ASAP program, visit www.asap911.org.
About Hennepin County Sheriff's Office
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is charged with keeping and preserving the peace in Hennepin County, the most populated county in Minnesota with nearly 1.3 million residents. HCSO's full strength is approximately 900 employees and is comprised of six bureaus: Public Safety Services, Investigations, Administrative Services, Public Affairs, Court and Field Services, and Detention Services. HCSO is a proactive organization that participates in and hosts community programs to promote positive interactions with law enforcement.
HCSO is led by Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt, who was sworn in on January 3, 2023.
About The Monitoring Association
The Monitoring Association (TMA), formerly the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), is an internationally recognized nonprofit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies, security systems integrators, and providers of products and services to the industry. Incorporated in 1950, TMA represents its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state, and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Learn more online at https://tma.us/about-tma/.
About TMA's ASAP Service
Launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership, TMA's Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) Service enables direct electronic dispatch of emergency calls for service from alarm companies to PSAPs and ECCs. Increasing the accuracy and efficiency of dispatches, ASAP Service utilizes American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard protocols developed cooperatively by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and TMA.
Media Contact
Caroline Constantine, Pipitone - Pittsburgh, PA, 1 4342517580, [email protected]
SOURCE The Monitoring Association (TMA)

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