Last updated: March 2026
COPS Monitoring is one of the largest alarm monitoring companies in America — but you’ve probably never heard of them. That’s because COPS doesn’t sell to consumers. They’re the invisible company behind your security provider, operating the monitoring centers that receive your alarm signals and dispatch police, fire, and EMS. Here’s why that matters for your home security.
What Is COPS Monitoring?
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full name | Central Office Processing Services (COPS) |
| Founded | 1978 (47 years in business) |
| Headquarters | Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Monitoring centers | 6 UL-listed stations across the US |
| Accounts monitored | 2+ million |
| Dealer accounts | 3,500+ security companies |
| BBB Rating | A+ |
| Certifications | UL Listed, FM Approved, CSAA Five Diamond, TMA Five Diamond |
| Notable clients | SimpliSafe, thousands of local dealers |
How the Monitoring Chain Works
Most homeowners think their security company monitors their alarm. Usually, they don’t. Here’s how it actually works:
| Step | What Happens | Who Does It | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Alarm triggers | Sensor detects intrusion/fire/CO | Your alarm panel | Instant |
| 2. Signal sent | Panel sends coded signal via cellular/internet | Your alarm panel → receiver | 5-30 seconds |
| 3. Signal received | Monitoring center receives and decodes signal | COPS (or similar central station) | 1-5 seconds |
| 4. Operator responds | Trained operator verifies alarm type | COPS operator | 15-60 seconds |
| 5. Contact attempt | Operator calls your emergency contacts | COPS operator | 30-120 seconds |
| 6. Dispatch | Police/fire/EMS dispatched if no answer/confirmation | COPS operator → 911 | 30-60 seconds |
Total time from alarm to dispatch: 1-4 minutes (industry standard). COPS aims for under 60 seconds from signal receipt to dispatch.
Who Uses COPS Monitoring?
| Company | Uses COPS? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SimpliSafe | ✅ Yes | COPS is SimpliSafe’s primary central station |
| 3,500+ local dealers | ✅ Yes | Most small/mid-size alarm companies use COPS |
| Abode | Uses own network | Abode uses TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) + partner stations |
| Ring | Uses own network | Ring uses multiple central stations |
| ADT | Operates own stations | ADT has 6 proprietary monitoring centers |
| Vivint | Operates own stations | Vivint has proprietary monitoring |
COPS vs Other Monitoring Centers
| Feature | COPS | ADT (Proprietary) | Brinks/Alarm.com | Self-Monitoring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response time (goal) | <60 sec | <60 sec | <60 sec | Depends on you |
| Redundancy | 6 centers | 6 centers | Multiple centers | Your phone only |
| UL Listed | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | N/A |
| CSAA Five Diamond | ✅ | ✅ | Varies | N/A |
| Accounts | 2M+ | 6M+ | Varies | N/A |
| Direct consumer access | ❌ (through dealers) | ❌ (ADT only) | ⚠️ (through dealers) | ✅ |
| Cost to you | $16-50/mo (dealer markup) | $28-52/mo | $30-50/mo | $0 |
What CSAA Five Diamond Means
COPS holds the CSAA Five Diamond certification — the highest industry standard for monitoring centers. Here’s what each level requires:
| Certification | What It Means | Who Has It |
|---|---|---|
| UL Listed | Meets basic safety and reliability standards | Most legitimate monitoring centers |
| FM Approved | Insurance industry-recognized quality standard | Better monitoring centers |
| CSAA Five Diamond | Highest operator training, response protocols, redundancy | COPS, ADT, select others (~120 companies) |
| TMA Five Diamond | Similar to CSAA — The Monitoring Association’s top tier | COPS and select others |
Why it matters: Five Diamond certification means operators undergo extensive training, response times are independently audited, and the center has geographic redundancy (if one center goes down, others take over). SimpliSafe customers benefit from this quality through COPS — even though SimpliSafe rarely advertises it.
The Problem With Wholesale Monitoring
| Issue | How It Affects You | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| You don’t choose your center | Your dealer picks COPS or another station — you have no say | DIY systems let you choose your level of monitoring |
| Dealer markup | COPS charges dealers ~$8-12/mo per account; dealers charge you $25-50 | Abode Pro: $20/mo direct |
| Support goes through dealer | If monitoring fails, you call your dealer, not COPS | Direct systems: you contact the company directly |
| Account ownership | Your dealer owns the COPS account — if they close, you’re stuck | DIY: you own everything |
| Limited transparency | You don’t know which station is handling your alarm | Direct monitoring providers are more transparent |
COPS Monitoring vs Self-Monitoring
With modern DIY systems, you have a real choice: pay for COPS (through a dealer) or monitor yourself for free.
| Scenario | COPS (Pro Monitoring) | Self-Monitoring | Better Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| You’re awake and near phone | COPS calls you first anyway | You respond directly | Self (faster) |
| You’re asleep | COPS dispatches without your input | You might miss the alert | COPS |
| You’re on a plane | COPS dispatches after failed contact | No one responds | COPS |
| False alarm | COPS may dispatch unnecessarily ($50-200 fine) | You verify via camera first | Self (cheaper) |
| Fire/CO emergency | COPS dispatches fire/EMS automatically | You must call 911 yourself | COPS |
| Medical emergency | Panic button → COPS dispatches | You call 911 | COPS |
Best approach: Use Abode’s free self-monitoring as your default (saves $240+/year), and turn on Pro monitoring ($20/month) for vacations, travel, or when you need overnight coverage. No contracts — upgrade and downgrade monthly.
Should You Care Who Your Central Station Is?
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is COPS good at monitoring? | Yes — Five Diamond, 47 years, 2M+ accounts. They’re excellent. |
| Does it matter if SimpliSafe uses COPS? | Slightly — it means SimpliSafe’s monitoring quality is legit, despite not running their own stations. |
| Should I choose a system based on central station? | No — choose based on equipment, app, price, and features. All major stations are comparable. |
| Is self-monitoring a valid alternative? | Yes — for most situations. Add pro monitoring when life circumstances require it. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is COPS Monitoring the same as the police?
No. COPS stands for “Central Office Processing Services” — it’s a private company, not law enforcement. They receive alarm signals and contact police/fire/EMS on your behalf.
Why haven’t I heard of COPS if they’re so big?
Because COPS is a B2B (business-to-business) company. They sell to alarm dealers and security companies, not directly to homeowners. Your dealer uses COPS behind the scenes — you interact with your dealer, not COPS.
If SimpliSafe uses COPS, why does SimpliSafe monitoring cost $16-28/month?
Markup. COPS charges dealers approximately $8-12 per account per month. SimpliSafe (and other dealers) mark this up to $16-50/month to cover their own costs and profit. Abode’s Pro monitoring at $20/month is one of the more transparently priced options.
Can I use COPS monitoring directly without a dealer?
No. COPS only works through authorized dealers. If you want direct-to-consumer monitoring without dealer markup, use Abode, Ring, or SimpliSafe — they handle everything directly.
What happens if COPS monitoring center goes down?
COPS operates 6 geographically distributed centers. If one goes down (power outage, natural disaster), signals automatically route to another center. This redundancy is part of why they maintain Five Diamond certification.
Is a Five Diamond monitoring center worth paying for?
The quality difference between Five Diamond and a basic UL-listed center is real but small for most homeowners. Response times are faster and operator training is better. But the biggest factor in your safety is whether you have a security system at all — even self-monitoring with a good system is far better than no system.
Growing up with Law and Order and CSI shows taught Isabelle Landau one thing: if people back then had high-quality home security systems, those series would have been way shorter. In our modern world, technology helps us keep burglars away easily, and this is what Izzy studies and writes about: alarm systems, home security, protection systems, and more.
Benj Q says
Strongly against companies who do these practices of hidden charges, I’d rather have them be upfront with me on what everything would cost. Good that your review is unbiased and honest, this is the kind of review people should read not those posts that just include all fluff.
Allen Billings says
At our previous house, there was already an ADT system installed. I had it upgraded and signed up for ADT monitoring services. We had numerous problems with the equipment AND the monitoring services. Here, I will only address the most major problem. We had a smoke alarm go off in our hallway by our bedrooms. It went off due to an overheated pan on the stove in the kitchen while we were there. We received a call from ADT TWO DAYS LATER asking us if we knew that the alarm had gone off! Needless to say we did NOT renew our contract. We now have C.O.P.S. monitoring with a SimpliSafe alarm. It is FANTASTIC! The alarm works perfectly and on two occasions the alarm has gone off. We received a call from C.O.P.S. in less than 3 minutes both times. They even called to notify me that I had just tested my smoke detector within 3 minutes of me pressing the “test” button. All that for a fixed price with no contract that is much less than ADT was charging.
Sam says
COPS is one of the few companies out there that you really don’t hear much on. I was doing some research on the company a few weeks ago and found this review. I live in Las Vegas so I was able to get in touch with someone about using their services and I am quite pleased over all. I can’t say they are the best nor an A+ but I would give them a B- for sure.
Lara Minx says
I know exactly what you mean. They do have cons but what company doesn’t? I know a lot of them out there are owned or own other bigger/smaller companies so it is hard to know who you can trust. I loved working with C.O.P.S. it was hard to get but it was worth it. My daughter sleeps better at night as well.
Derick says
I thought this place was a phisher company. I am glad to see they are legit. I have been on the hunt for some time to find a security option in my area and this is one of few that I can actually get. When I went on their site last night before bed, I hurried up and got off thinking that it wasn’t a real company. I will be giving them a call tomorrow morning.
Babe says
Their website looks awful! I thought they were scammers. I came on here from Googling about them. Based on what I read and what you had to say, they sound decent in comparison to so many others out there. I am going to give them a call on Monday. Thanks for this unbiased review on COPS Monitoring.