posted on Monday, June 29, 2009 9:24 AM
by
klehan
Batavia, IL, Toughens Alarm Ordinance
Automatic alarm scofflaws in Batavia, IL, should prepare for penalties or have their security systems repaired.
The Batavia Police Department and Batavia Fire Department have prepared a proposed ordinance that would assess fines ranging from $50 to $300.
Some aldermen would like to see stiffer fines for chronic cases involving commercial or residential property owners who fail to heed the warnings and maintain their security systems.
"Nobody cares about $50," Alderman Cathy Barnard said, suggesting the fines should be increased.
Deputy Police Chief Gregory Thrun and Fire Marshal Tom Springer on Tuesday presented details of an ordinance before members of the City Services Committee.
Under the proposed ordinance, the departments would waive fines for the first two calls to account for mechanical failure and human error. For a third false alarm in a 12-month span, the departments will issue a $50 fine.
The fourth false alarm would result in a $100 fine. For five to nine false alarms, the fine increases to $200. And for 10 or more false calls, the fine increases to $300.
Thrun said 10 businesses accounted for more than half of the 955 alarms in 2008, with some of them having in excess of 15 to 20 false alarms in a year. The Fire Department responded to 546 fire-oriented alarms in 2008, with more than a dozen businesses having repeated false alarms.
Thrun said the cost of manpower being taken away from more productive duties and responsibilities, along with the cost of equipment making needless responses, and the potential liability of an accident occurring during the emergency response itself warrant the implementation of an updated ordinance.
The deputy police chief said with the police department's newer records management system alarm module, they'll be able to track and regulate alarm responses by police units and forward the information to the city's Finance Department. The fire department uses a computer software program which will process their alarm responses.
"This will help reduce the needless response to false alarms," Thrun said.
The city has had an alarm ordinance on the books since 1972, with the last revision more than 20 years ago. Thrun said the frequency of false alarms has become apparent with the affordability of security systems.
The committee did increase the fifth false alarm to $200 to give property owners incentive to have the security alarm system repaired and maintained.
The proposed ordinance will be presented to the City Council.
"It is sending a message that we want the systems maintained because it is costing everyone," Volk said. "Let's review it in a year, and if there aren't fewer repeated (offenses), let's bump up the fines," he said.