The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Police responded to burglar alarms at Lynnhaven Mall 107 times over a recent 12-month period. An alarm at a Hertz equipment rental store on South Military Highway summoned help 46 times.
Problem was, all were false alarms. To combat what police call a "colossal waste of energy," the City Council has raised fines for false alarms from $25 to $150-$250. The city also is considering requiring all alarm owners to obtain a $10 permit to register with police.
The increases, which kick in on the third false call, likely will take effect early next year. The council still needs to approve the mandatory registration, which faced no hostility at a council meeting this week.
"Unfortunately, I think it may be necessary, based on the statistics we have," Councilman Bob Dyer said.
Everyone with existing alarms will have to register them. Failure to do so could place residents and businesses on a "do not respond" list, police said.
Police responded to 22,231 false alarms over a 12-month period in 2006 and 2007, a figure equivalent to 11,000 hours of manpower. Burglar alarms generate many calls, and repeat offenders are drains on time.
"If we're coming out once a month, something is definitely wrong," said Jim Cervera, deputy police chief.
Police responded to false burglar alarms at Lynnhaven Mall more than 100 times between December 2006 and November 2007, statistics show.
"This is a security-related matter, and that's something we typically don't discuss," said John Westbrook, the mall's general manager. "If we did, it could possibly make it difficult for us to secure the mall."
Malls create false-alarm calls because many stores and kiosks have their own systems, which employees don't always know how to use, said Lt. Theresa Orr.
"If you're going to have a 17-year-old open the store, you've got to give the 17-year-old the alarm code," she said.
Employees don't appear to be the problem at the Hertz store.
A giant tarp rolled up out back has become a home for "critters," stray cats and raccoons that trip a motion detector connected to the burglar alarm, said employee Scott Baxter.
"We don't call the police anymore," he said. "We tell them don't worry about it."
Permit fees and fines are estimated to generate $1.1 million in the first year, police said.
They expect to start the alarm registration program early next year, which police hope will create more user accountability, Orr said.
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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You seem to know everything.
So tell exactly what the crime statistics are for the Oceanfront compared to the rest of the city, and why they aren't needed. I'm sure you have this memorized.
IGNORANCE !!!
It's ignorant to think 6 police officers on every block at the Oceanfront is needed!
Like I said looking in coolers, checking for radios on the beach, looking in stopped vehicles at traffic lights etc is far more important than responding to alarms.
Hey desert divine
You're right, there's no way that the compensation for paid hours/fuel/overtime/etc. wasted on 22,231 false alarms could ever reach 1.1 million dollars.
Surely the city doesn't pay their police officers any more than 10 dollars an hour or anything.
Fees and Fines
I think we all know this has nothing to do with compensating for false alarms. The last lines of the article said it all, it's expected to generate 1.1 million. The city could really care less about the false alarms. They just want easy money...
To jb59807
I don't know what story you read, but the one we're discussing said quite clearly:
"The city also is considering requiring all alarm owners to obtain a $10 permit to register with police. Everyone with existing alarms will have to register them. Failure to do so could place residents and businesses on a "do not respond" list, police said."
So yes, they ARE considering NOT responding if you DON'T pony up the $10.00
Sounds good
I'm just laughing at the ignorance of some of you people thinking that just because there are a few more officers at the Oceanfront that the rest of the city is unpatrolled. Truly ludicrous.
It's about time the city took a look at solutions to curb all the false alarms that get called in on a dialy basis. Most often the alarm companies know that the residents have a problem system and do nothing to help the matter. They simply do not care if the money is rolling in. It's not their problem. they just have to call someone. Something should be done about the responsibility on their end. Half the time the alarm company doesn't even have a phone number for the owner so they can be called to have the matter discussed.
I agree with jimmyf....
Fining the responsible party for repeated false alarms is completely reasonable to me. However, the REQUIREMENT that a $10 fee be paid or you get placed on a "do not respond" list is totally ludicrous! As a matter of fact, I would think that every citizen pays to be on a "DO RESPOND IMMEDIATELY" list evey time they pay their taxes. Am I mistaken in my belief that a citizen pays taxes every year that in turn pay for city services such as Police, Fire, and EMS? While I don't believe the fines for repeated false alarms are meant to be a money maker (as long as the proceeds are used to pay for the cost of the response and not go into the city's General Fund) that $10 fee to keep yourself off the "do not respond" list is exactly that- a scam to make money off the citizens! JMO
what about the alarm companies?
I had an popular monitored system in my home about 10 years ago and was getting constant false alarms. I kept having them come out to check the system and they would say it's fixed but it never was. I finally had it removed when one of the repair men told me it was the dust in the air and the plants moving setting it off. 10 dollars isn't much but I think the companies should be paying as well if it's their faulty systems creating the problems.
Who should be required to pay?
Is this $10 fee:
1. An annual requirement?
2. For those that have "unmonitored" systems? Specifically, ADT and others monitor systems and when activated, they try to notify the residence/business, and then they contact the authorities. There are other systems that consumers can buy that automatically dial 911 upon activation - and aren't monitored from a central location. So who does the fee apply to?
I pay a monthly fee for my alarm. The service takes reasonable precautions to verify an alarm event prior to calling police. I've had false alarms in the past (due to external forces on the window sensors), and am willing to pay for my future false alarms. I am NOT willing to pay the $10 fee. THAT should go to those that have unmonitored systems.
More insanity from the Kangaroo Council
It's not surprising that the Kangaroo Council sees a $10.00 fee/license/permit (whatever they wish to call it) as a NECESSARY part of the already burgeoning bureaucratic monster that is VB City Government. I suppose they have to create and staff a new department for this one. The inability of the bulk of VB Council to do anything that makes much sense blows my mind.
A hefty fine should do the trick quite nicely. Pass a simple ordinance that states something simple like: "false alarms beyond three in one calendar (or fiscal) year are punishable by a Class 2/3/4 (whatever) misdemeanor punishable by a fine not less than $____ and or _____ time in jail". Make the fine hefty though; make it $1000.
With a simple fix such as that, there is no ludicrous "do not respond" list (can you see the lawyers chomping at the bit on that one?), no added bureaucracy, and all the police have to do is write the ticket (th