BELLEVUE, Wash. – The Bellevue Police Department plans to launch a new program aimed to encourage residents to better maintain their security systems to prevent false alarms.
BPD officials stated last March that roughly 98 percent of burglary alarms were either caused by faulty electronics or being set off accidentally. In 2014, authorities responded to 3,871 false alarm calls, according to The Bellevue Reporter.
The city council signed a four-year contract with Waldorf, Md.-based AOT Public Safety Corp. (PSC) to manage the new program. Under the plan, alarm owners will be required to pay an annual $25 registration fee and a $100 fine for a false alarm.
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Alarm owners can avoid the first-time fine by attending an alarm awareness class, according to the city’s false alarm ordinance. However, panic, silent, robbery, burglary and duress false alarms will result in a $200 fine.
Under a false alarm ordinance adopted by the council in December, an alarm awareness class may be taken to avoid the first fine. Panic, silent, robbery, burglary and duress false alarm calls will result in a $200 fine.
The city will receive 71 percent of the first $75,000 in revenue it collects from fines, alarm registrations and renewals in the first and second years of the program. The city will receive 81 percent in the years following.
PSC, which will use its proprietary CryWolf software to manage the program, will receive the remaining percentage.
The program will take effect during the last quarter of 2015.
