The state attorney general of Florida has told city
officials in Palm Bay, Fla., that it would be a violation
of state law if they made public the names of those who own
security systems or those who violate the city’s false
alarm ordinance. In an advisory legal opinion sought by
Palm Bay’s city manager, Florida Attorney General Charlie
Crist also says police agencies in the state cannot reveal
the addresses of where they responded to false alarm
calls.
Lee Feldman, Palm Bay’s city manager, says a local owner of
a security business asked for the names and addresses
addresses of applicants for alarm permits, all people and
businesses cited or warned for violations of the city’s
alarm ordinance and the addresses of all police runs to
false or verified alarms. Feldman asked for an advisory
opinion from Crist if it was legal for Palm Bay to grant
the request.
JoAnn Carrin, a spokeswoman for Crist, told The News-
Press that the opinion is advisory and not law – it
merely serves to clarify the current statute. She says a
state law passed as a protection against terror attacks is
the impetus behind the ruling. “You can still get
information about the number of violations or the number of
security calls,” Carrin says.
Crist says in the opinion, issued June 23, that making that
information public would reveal the existence of security
systems and is just as important toward a home burglary
system as it is toward a nuclear power plant’s security
plan. He said it violates an anti-terror law passed in a
special session of the Florida Legislature in December
2001.
