Roseville Considering Fines For False Alarms From Security Systems
By Kelly Ryan
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — Roseville is considering fining people whose security systems go off, because most calls are false alarms.
The move comes after several nearby cities, including Sacramento, proposed changes to the way officers respond to burglary alarms.
Officers responded to nearly 3,000 home and business alarms last year, but only a handful were actual crimes
Like many store owners Oliver Bell relies on his alarm system to protect his expensive merchandise. But he's had some false alarms.
"Forget the password, have a new employee that forgot the alarm code," he said.
"Less than 1 percent are real alarms by that I mean real burglaries that someone did something to tamper with the alarm," said Sgt. Jason Bosworth.
The Roseville Police Department is now pushing to adopt a program called enhanced call verification.
"What we're trying to do is have alarm companies that work in the city of Roseville make it a requirement that they have to use a two call verification just for burglary alarms," he said.
That means two phone calls are made to the home or business before officers respond. Fines are still imposed. The first false alarm is free; the second is $60; the third $80.
In 2012, the city of Sacramento tried to deal with its false alarms by raising fines. No fine for the first false alarm but the second carries a fine of $60 the third $80.
In 2013 West Sacramento adopted a new ordinance; two false alarms within one year, no penalty. A third false alarm and the fine jumps to $200.
For Bell, freeing up officers from false alarms is a program he supports.
"I think the police, for efficiency, should be there for real crimes and not running all over town investigating false alarms," he said.
The move would only apply to burglar alarms and not panic buttons or medical or robbery calls.
