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Islamorada, FL, Moving Forward on Alarm Law

Islamorada, FL, could start fining property owners for excessive  false alarms under proposed new ordinances.

The village council approved during a first reading and ordinance that would require every owner of a burglar alarm to register with the village. Owners would be fined for having more than two false alarms when police respond in a year. 

The new rules will be set if the ordinances are approved a second time at the next council meeting scheduled in two weeks.

Monroe County and the South Florida Water Management District asked municipalities to adopt ordinances to enforce water restrictions, according to Islamorada Village Manager Ken Fields.

Fines would be $75 for the first violation ($50 if the citation isn’t contested), $100 for the second and $500 for any subsequent violation.

The burglar alarm ordinance was requested by Sheriff’s Office Islamorada sector commander Capt. Don Fanelli, who said the village code needs to be updated to match Monroe County and other municipalities’ codes.

“My day shift fully staffed includes a sergeant and two officers, and when we have an alarm we have to send two officers and take them away from other duties,” Fanelli said. 

Fanelli said police responded to 44 false alarms last year at just one business, which he wouldn’t identify.

Fanelli said most of the false alarms are caused by air conditioning and wind triggering motion detectors. He said most issues can be fixed easily, and imposing fines could motivate owners.

“This is by no means a way to increase revenue; it’s to make better use of the law enforcement resources we have,” he said.

The ordinance would require a one-time $40 registration fee and would impose fines of $75 for the third false alarm in one year, $150 for the fourth and $250 for each additional false alarm.