BOULDER, Colo. – City officials here have taken proactive measures to stem a torrent of false alarms. A new ordinance went into affect Wednesday that calls for intrusion alarm system owners to be fined up to $450 if police are dispatched repeatedly to nuisance alarms at a home or business.
Boulder police are said to have responded to nearly 5,000 alarm calls over a two-year period, with only 10 of those calls deemed legitimate, according to ABC affiliate 7News Denver. That amounts to a false alarm rate of 99.79%, according to city officials.
The first instance of a false alarm will not incur a fine, but repeated false alarm calls to police could result in fines from $100 up to $450 after several violations.
Repeat offenders will also be added to a “do not respond list,” meaning a Boulder police officer will no longer respond to the location in case an alarm goes off, according to the news report.
Panic or robbery alarms will not be suspended, according to city officials. The ordinance will also not affect fire, carbon monoxide (CO) or medical alarms, such as personal emergency response systems (PERS).
All Boulder residents and businesses within city limits that have an alarm system are required to register for an annual fee of $35. Fines will be evaluated starting June 1.
