Utah Residents Uneasy About Nonresponse Policy
Residents in Murray, Utah, believe the city’s nonresponse policy to burglar alarms make it easier for potential intruders to break into homes and steal property.
The Murray City Police Department's nonresponse policy has raised concern with residents who believe the program allows intruders to break into homes without consequences.
MURRAY, Utah – Residents are concerned about the city of Murray’s nonresponse policy to intrusion alarms, stating that program is sending a poor message to possible intruders.
Many residents in the area, which has seen a spike in crime in the past six months, have intrusion alarms. Alarm owners say that police officers are quick to respond to security alarms when residents are home; however, they are worried about how long it will take for police officers to arrive if an alarm goes off and the alarm owner is not at home. Some residents think police will not arrive at all, FOX 13 reports.
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The Murray City Police Department admits officers will respond to all panic alarms, direst alarms and hold up alarms. As for any other type of alarm, officers do not automatically respond to them.
Instead, the security company monitoring the alarm is notified, and is supposed to send a local representative to the home or business and check out the alarm to see if police are needed.
Salt Lake City has the same policy in place.
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While police say nonresponse policies help cut down the amount of time officers waste on false alarms, residents believe such ordinances allow intruders to have free rein.
“The word around town to the burglars is, ‘Hey Murray is an open town,’ if you get into the house the burglar alarm goes off, get in the house, get what you want, and get out, and there is no response,” Murray resident Kirk Jensen told FOX 13.
Authorities say they are notified of all alarms that go off. If no other more serious matters are taking place, officers can and will respond to alarms, but on a case by case basis.
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