ADT AWARE(R) Program Honored by U.S Department of Justice

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ADT AWARE(R) Program Honored by U.S Department of Justice
Life Saving Domestic Violence Prevention Program Recognized During National
                         Crime Victims' Rights Week

    BOCA RATON, Fla., April 24 /PRNewswire/ -- ADT Security Services, Inc.,
a unit of Tyco Fire & Security announced today it has received the 2007
National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) Award for the ADT AWARE(R)
program. ADT has worked to assist domestic violence victims through AWARE
(Abused Women's Active Response Emergency) since 1992. The program is
credited with helping save 31 lives.
    ADT received the Allied Professional Award, given by the Office of
Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice and presented by the U.S.
Attorney General. The NCVRW Award recognizes individuals from a specific
discipline outside the victim assistance field for their service to victims
and contribution to the crime victim's arena.
    "Everyday ADT's systems, services and team members help keep Americans
safe in their homes and businesses. Providing support to survivors of
domestic abuse is one of the ways ADT is giving back to the communities we
serve. Our technology and 24-hour around-the-clock monitoring can offer
peace of mind to individuals and their families as they break the cycle of
domestic violence," said John Koch, President, ADT Security Services.
    "ADT is honored to be chosen as a recipient of this prestigious award.
It is our hope that this will illuminate the serious issues victims face on
a daily basis, and possibly help lower the incidents of domestic violence."
Koch added.
    For 15 years, the AWARE Program has proven an effective tool for
communities in their efforts to prevent and prosecute domestic violence
cases. At a local level, ADT works with law enforcement and social service
agencies to administer the program. The local community agencies assess the
needs of potential participants assuring they meet the following three
basic criteria: the victim must be in imminent danger of attack, have a
restraining order or other active order of protection against the abuser,
and must be willing to prosecute and testify against the batterer in court
if the batterer is apprehended through the use of the ADT system.
    After those who meet the criteria are placed in the program, ADT
installs and monitors, at no charge, security systems in each of their
homes and provides them with emergency necklace pendants for as long as the
need exists. The pendants can send a silent alarm, when activated, to ADT's
customer monitoring center.
    If a person involved in the program feels in imminent danger of attack,
he or she presses either the pendant or the emergency button on the
security system panel mounted in their home. ADT operators can then alert
the appropriate law enforcement agency that an AWARE call has been
received. Officers will then be dispatched to the victim's residence on a
priority basis.
    Although the AWARE Program is national in scope, ADT was specifically
honored for its work in West Virginia and was nominated by Charles T.
Miller, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of West Virginia. Recently, a West
Virginia woman was rescued from her abuser through the AWARE Program. The
rescued victim had a court-issued protective order and was in the process
of divorcing her husband. The victim used her ADT emergency necklace
pendant to summon law enforcement after being threatened at knifepoint by
her spouse who was out of prison on a criminal bond for previously
attempting to strangle her.
    The AWARE Program is active in 177 U.S. communities and, through its
sister program, DVERS (Domestic Violence Emergency Response System) the
program is offered in 41 locations in Canada.
    Celebrating its 132nd anniversary, ADT Security Services, Inc., a unit
of Tyco Fire & Security, is the largest provider of electronic security
services to nearly six million commercial, government and residential
customers throughout North America. ADT's total security solutions include
intrusion, fire protection, closed circuit television, access control,
critical condition monitoring, electronic article surveillance, radio
frequency identification and integrated systems. ADT's web site address is
http://www.adt.com.
SOURCE ADT Security Services, Inc.
http://www.adt.com
http://www.tyco.com
CONTACT:
Ann Lindstrom of ADT Security Services, Inc.,
+1-561-988-3258, or alindstrom@adt.com