posted on Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:48 AM
by
klehan
City of Riverside, CA, May Increase Alarm Fines to $250 for 2nd Violation
Riverside, California is considering toughening its stance on false alarms by increasing penalties.
If the Riverside City Council approves the changes – a vote is expected in the next few weeks – residents and businesses without a permit would be fined an additional $250 for a false police alarm, with $250 added to the fine for each subsequent violation. Residents would get one free pass. The fire alarm fines, which start at $350 for the third false alarm, are different because fire alarms are mandatory and are often triggered by maintenance issues, Deputy Fire Chief Steve Earley said.
The city might also fine schools and government agencies, except city buildings. The city believes it would receive $90,000 annually from those fines, city documents say.
Current city ordinance requires residents pay a one-time fee for an alarm permit that may increase from $30 to $35.