Brookhaven to make security companies pay for false alarms
Brookhaven GA Dec 2 2017
After Brookhaven Police responded to more than 4,000 false alarms in the city last year, the council is taking measures to reduce that number – by making the security companies pay for them.
The City Council approved Nov. 28 an ordinance that will require security companies to pay fines for false alarms rather than making businesses and homeowners pay the fines. The Brookhaven measure follows the city of Sandy Springs taking the same approach earlier this year of targeting security companies rather than homeowners or business owners for false alarms.
The ordinance also requires security companies to obtain a city permit to install an alarm system. The ordinance goes into effect Jan. 1.
The council voted unanimously to give security companies two warnings and then implement fines on the third and following false alarms.
The fines are $25 for the third false alarm, $125 each for the fourth and fifth false alarm, and $250 each for the sixth and successive false alarms. An appeals process is also in place as part of the ordinance.
At a Nov. 14 work session, Chief Gary Yandura reported the police department in 2016 responded to 4,145 false alarms and estimated that it cost the city $194,815 responding to false alarms between July 31, 2016 and July 31, 2017.
“Basically, we’re just acting as security guards for these alarm companies,” Yandura told the council.
Yandura pointed to Sandy Springs’ recent ordinance that fines the security companies after no significant reduction in false alarms was found after first going after homeowners and business owners.
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