Flint, Mich., considering false alarm fines

The city council in Flint, Michigan is expected to consider a proposal this month that would fine security companies for repeated false alarms from area homes and businesses they monitor.

Under the ordinance, each address in the city would be allowed two false alarms a year without penalty, after which the monitoring company would be charged $50 for police calls and $75 for fire calls. The fine would subsequently increase by $25 for each additional false call.

Though the city would like to recoup their costs for responding to false alarms, opponents of the measure say that the costs of the fines would undoubtedly be passed onto consumers. According to published reports, Flint already has ordinance on the books that would bill home an business owners for false alarms, but it has not been enforced.