The city of Pearland is getting tough on false alarms with the help of new software that keeps track of the number of fire and police calls that turn out to be bogus.

As part of the new "Cry Wolf" software program, residents with alarms are required to re-register on the Pearland Police Department s Web site. The cost to register for a combination alarm for burglars, fire and hold-up/panic incidents is $15 per year for residents and $40 annually for businesses.

Residents and business owners don't have to pay to re-register unless they have reported two false alarms this year, city officials said.

Last month, City Council amended its alarm ordinance to raise the registration costs for alarms and to penalize homeowners and business owners who report more than three false alarms in a calendar year. For residents, the fine is $50 each for the fourth and fifth false alarms, $75 each for the sixth and seventh and $100 for each false alarm over that. For businesses, the fine for a fourth and fifth false burglar alarm is the same as the residential rate. But the cost escalates with false hold-up/panic and fire alarms -- $100 each for the third false alarm, $200 for the fourth and $300 for the fifth.

"When we record a number of false alarms in the same location for several years, you re using police and fire services that might be delayed in responding to a real emergency," City Manager Bill Eisen said.

"The whole intent is to make sure we have current information for people who have alarms and to make sure they re aware there is a fee, he said."