Police in Dallas have decided to delay for a month the
implementation of a verified response policy for commercial
alarms, but will still enforce fines and other aspects of a
new alarm ordinance as of Feb. 1. The decision by Police
Chief David Kunkle came after he
TARGET=’_blank’>received a letter from the president of
the North Texas Alarm Association (NTAA) saying alarm and
security guard companies wouldn’t be ready for the policy
where all commercial security alarms would need to be
verified by a security guard hired by the alarm company.
“The chief realized that the alarm industry and guard
services are not prepared at this time,” NTAA President
Chris Russell told SSI, adding they still will
probably not be prepared on March 1. “It is too soon. We
still need until June 1. That’s what we’d like to see.”
While verified response has been delayed, the rest of the
new alarm ordinance TARGET=’_blank’>passed on Dec. 14 by the Dallas City
Council will be in effect as of Feb. 1. That includes an
increased fine structure for residential false alarms – a
$50 fine for the fourth through sixth false alarms and a
$75 fine for the seventh and eighth violation.
