Scottsdale Ariz. may crackdown on false alarms

June 2, 2008
City officials considering increasing fines, imposing other penalties

City officials in Scottsdale, Ariz., will consider this week whether or not to increase fines and impose other penalties for false alarms at area residences and businesses.

According to an article published in the East Valley Tribune, 94 percent of the more than 20,000 alarm calls city police responded to last year were false and added up to about $335,000 worth of lost resources.

Currently, the city does not charge for the first two false alarms in a year, but third and subsequent offenses can cost home and business owners between $50 and $250, the article stated.

In addition to increasing fines the Scottsdale City Council will consider imposing several other measures, including revoking alarm permits for those who garner seven or more false alarms within a 180 day period, imposing property liens on those who don’t pay false alarm fees, requiring security companies call customers alternate contact numbers, as well as the site of the alarm activation, and increasing response time for police from 20 minutes to 30 minutes.