Cobb County, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta, is set to begin enforcement of a tough new alarm law that requires county residents to register their alarm systems with the county prior to the new year or face a $100 fine.
According to published reports, between 98 and 99 percent of alarm calls received by the county are false and cost taxpayers nearly $400,000 a year.
Residents and business owners will be given two false alarms a year without penalty, as well as an opportunity to earn a third if they go online and take a quiz. Otherwise, violators of the law will receive a $50 fine for false alarms three through nine. The penalty increases to $300 per violation for any tenth or subsequent infraction. Schools and government agencies are also not exempt from the law.