The new year will bring a bite out of the wallet of Los
Angeles alarm customers who commit a false alarm. A $115
fine for a first false alarm offense is one of many laws
that take effect on Jan. 1 around the nation that affect
alarm companies, manufacturers and their customers. The
fine, the result of Los Angeles’ nid=1871>three-year-long debate on a new alarm
ordinance, will mean no false alarm will be “free” in
the second largest city in the nation after 2004 becomes
2005.
The policy, approved by the Los Angeles City Council Sept.
21, will have an additional $50 being added to the fine for
each false alarm that follows the first. However, alarm
owners can seek an amnesty where they can have the fines
removed if they purchase or renew their alarm permit.
After two false alarms, Los Angeles police don’t respond to
an alarm unless it is verified by someone at the source
under a policy that has been in place since last Jan. 1.
Other Jan. 1 changes to law that could affect alarm
customers include:
TUCSON, Ariz.: Under a law t_ci_newsView.cfm?nid=1647>passed on May 25, fines for
false alarms will be issued after a third false alarm
offense and the fee itself will increase.
There will be an initial $165 fine for a third false alarm
within a calendar year. The fine will go up for each false
alarm.
Previously, the initial false alarm charge was $125 and it
didn’t kick in until a fifth false alarm.
BELLINGHAM, Wash.: Verified response will officially
be the policy of the police department in the northern
Washington city as of 6 a.m. on Jan. 1.
Police will require a private guard or another person to
verify a residential alarm with them before they respond.
The city’s council nid=1836>approved the new policy on Aug. 30.
The verified policy will also apply to commercial intrusion
alarms between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Police will
continue to respond to unverified commercial alarms outside
of that time window.
The policy will not apply to stores selling firearms or to
fire and panic alarms.
At the same time, there will no longer be any false alarm
fines. However, an alarm user will face a $500 penalty if
they falsely verify an alarm.
BROCKVILLE, Ontario, Canada: Officers in the city
just north of the U.S. border with New York will not
respond to any burglar alarms with addressed where three
false alarms have been recorded within a calendar year.
To reinstate police response, an alarm owner will need to
pay a $75 fee after a third false alarm. Response will be
discontinued again with the next and each subsequent false
alarm unless a $150 fee is paid to police.
ALASKA: As of Jan. 1, just about every residence in
the state must have a carbon monoxide warning system.
A CO alarm will be required in every single family house,
duplex, apartment, dormitory or group home with either a
carbon-based fuel appliance, and adjacent carport or
garage, or sits next to a parking lot.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: While the state will still not
require licensing for alarm technicians, a voluntary
certification process will start Jan. 1 for those who
install and service burglar and/or fire alarms, portable
fire extinguishers, and fire extinguisher and sprinkler
systems.
The act, passed by the New Hampshire legislature in April,
also establishes a state alarm system advisory committee to
include industry representatives.
MOORESTOWN, N.J.: The suburb of Philadelphia will
see higher fines for false fire alarms before the new year
even starts. A new false fire alarm fee structure, approved
earlier this month by the township’s council, kicks in on
Dec. 31.
The fees will be as high as $600 for a commercial fire
alarm owner with a fourth false alarm within a calendar
year.
For commercial alarm owners, fines will increase from $100
to $200 for the second offense, from $200 to $400 for the
third offense and from $400 to $600 for the fourth and each
subsequent offense.
For residential alarms, fines will increase from $25 to $50
for the second offense, from $50 to $150 for the third
offense and from $100 to $400 for the fourth and each
subsequent offense.
