Georgia Municipality Passes Alarm Ordinance to Curb False Dispatches

Warner Robins, Ga., with a population of about 72,500, will fine homeowners and business for nuisance alarms.

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. – The city council here passed an ordinance that will fine alarm system owners for multiple false security system alarms.

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The new rule requires home and business owners with security systems to register their phone numbers with their alarm company, WMAZ-TV reports. That way, officers can reach them quickly and do not need to waste time at the scene if there is no emergency.

Also, after three false alarms caused by a faulty security system the person has to pay a fine. The initial fine is $50, but goes up for each additional false alarm after that.

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Officer Ed Smith with the Warner Robins Police Department told WMAZ-TV this will give them more time to focus on the real emergencies.

“The amount of time that it takes for a business alarm is about 30 minutes. The average time for a personal alarm is around 18 minutes. That’s time that an officer is taking out of his patrol area,” he said.

Smith emphasizes that they will continue to go to every call, but hopes this will provide incentive for people to fix any problems.

“The majority are because of a faulty system, either a battery is going dead or a sensor is not adjusted properly,” he explained.

An appeal period will be available for businesses or residences who feel they have been wrongly fined.

Smith says last year, one local business had 67 false alarms because of a broken security system.

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