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New Haven, Conn. imposes steeper fines for false alarms

New Haven, Conn. imposes steeper fines for false alarms

NEW HAVEN, Conn.--An Oct. 13 story in the New Haven Register reports a new security alarm ordinance that would impose steeper fines for repeated false alarms—and have a mechanism to collect penalties—could be in place by the new year.

The draft ordinance, approved in the beginning of October by the aldermanic Public Safety Committee, goes before the full board Nov. 5. If approved as expected, the ordinance was to be implemented in about 60 days, police said.

Here's what it would mean: If you have a burglar alarm on your home or business, you will have to register with the city. It's free. The computer system would then track false alarms and fine the consumer if they start adding up—$75 for the second false alarm, $150 for the third, and $250 for every one after that.

What it means for the alarm industry: Alarm monitoring services now would have to make two attempts to contact the subscriber before calling police, the first to the primary number and the second to an alternate, usually a cell phone. Since the vast majority of alarm trips are due to user error, industry officials say, that new second call requirement alone should reduce thousands of false alarms every year.

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