40 under 40: Dale Marzili, COPS Monitoring

YARMOUTH, Maine—Dale Marzili, 40, Operations Training & Development Manager for COPS Monitoring has spent his entire career in security, finding his calling helping other people at a very young age. “At 20 years old, I really had no clear vision of what I wanted to do as my career, but I knew I wanted to do something that made me feel good,” he explained. “I was offered a job at COPS Monitoring, which gave me the chance to not only grow as an individual, but also to help people.”

Marzili said he didn’t fully grasp what “helping people in this capacity truly meant” until about six months after he started when he was on a call with a customer who was desperate and threatened to hurt themself. “Thankfully, I was able to get customer the help they needed in time,” he explained. “Though that certainly impacted me at the time, it wasn’t until a few days later that it really hit home when the daughter of that subscriber called to thank me. She said, ‘Because of you I still have my daddy.’ That moment made it clear to me that I wanted to build my career in the alarm industry making a difference helping people.”

Today, Marzili said he feels “privileged” to have worked for COPS for the past 20 years in various roles, starting as a dispatcher in COPS’ New Jersey location, and then working his way through the ranks of floor supervisor and shift manager to Site Manager of COPS Arizona site in 2010.

“In 2015, I elected to move back to New Jersey to follow my true passion and to have a broader impact in training and development,” he said. “As Operations Training & Development Manager, I oversee all training and SOPs for our company, and I am involved in the creation of our Training Materials, Alarm Handling programs/procedures, our proprietary employee and evaluation process (called Gradation), and all new hire onboarding and training. I directly manage a team of 3 highly trained and motivation personal, and through them our training department assist and support over 420 dispatchers and over 60 shift managers across all six of our central stations.”

New Tech, New Horizons

Over the years, Marzili has seen the industry evolve, noting that from a more traditional security standpoint, he is seeing a greater adoption rate on dispatcher-verified video and MPERS.  “As video analytics and AI progress, I think video has the potential to replace traditional security systems in some applications,” he explained. “For MPERS, I can see it growing by leaps and bounds as more people see the value of extending protection outside their premises.”

Marzili said he is also excited about all of the GPS Devices entering the market. “Our industry is changing, from protecting just places and things to protecting individuals,” he said. “As a parent I feel better knowing my child has a ‘help button’ with them at all times. From a technology standpoint, rather than calling a person on the telephone, we now have the ability to reach them on their neck pendant, app, or wristwatch – wherever they are. It is all very ‘James Bond-ish’ and exciting! Monitoring companies need to be very forward-thinking and have the expertise to keep up with all the security tech we see coming out. Our industry is essential, especially during these uncertain times, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for personal protection.”

Coming out of two years of COVID impacting our lives, the key to succeeding personally and in business is to make “good sound and informed decisions,” Marzili said. “Since these times are unpredictable, people are unsure of what to expect. Panic and uncertainty can lead to reckless and irresponsible decisions. I would urge everyone to digest information from multiple sources and make informed decisions. I would also appeal to everyone’s humanity and encourage people to be mindful and to take care of each other.”

He continued, “Employers should listen to the struggles that COVID is causing on our employees and then help them. I feel fortunate that COPS has been doing that for us, their employees, making decisions not because of the times, but instead because they are the right thing to do. People may not always remember what you said, but they will always remember the way you made them feel. Supporting our employees is the key to success. Employers should take care of their employees, so the employees can take care of the company and our customers.”

Future Outlook

Overall, Marzili said he is “proud” of where the alarm industry is today, noting, “It has come a long, long way. The new tech we see all makes sense and is better than anything we have seen in the past. If we continue to perfect and advance our tech and methods, who knows what will come our way!”

As someone who entered the industry at a young age, Marzili provides a great perspective on the strategy necessary to get more talented, diverse young people involved in security:

“I think our industry has the advantage here! The younger generation wants to have an impact with make a difference in the world. They are seeking out companies that want to do the same. Well, the Security/Alarm industry is full of that. I think we just need to let them know who we are, let them see what we (and they) can do, and the rest is up to them. I don’t think most younger people, while in school, are thinking about working at a central station; however, they might consider it if they understood our goals of being a lifeline to a person in need.”

He continued, “During employment interviews, I have had younger people tell me they didn’t even fully understand what a Central Station is or what we do. Nevertheless, by the end of the interview, they are extremely eager to start. Working in security is an excellent start towards additional career goals, for example EMT or other emergency services. If we want to get more younger people involved, company identification, communication, and education are key. Show them the bridge but let them cross it on their own.”