In 2009 DeKalb Police responded to over 21 thousand alarm calls. Over 12 thousand were false.
Each resident and business are allowed three false alarms a year before they are fined $100.00 for each false alarm. Because the tracking system is so convoluted and disarrayed, the county has decided to hit the reset button.
They are wiping the slate clean for false alarm fines before 2010.
When it comes to money, the decision and policy makers around this place are just plan stupid.
More reason to adopt a verified alarm policy. If the public only knew just how much they are getting hosed by the alarm companies.
The Madness Continues.
11 comments:
The Alarm companies are getting OVER.. half the darn time they dont even have the right address.. let alone a valid cross street.. and THEN they have the nerve to get smart when you correct them....
This is why I don't have an alarm system. They require anywhere from $18 to $25 per month for "monitoring" fees. Yet, if an alarm goes off, which is most often false due to system errors or equipment, they contact the local police to check on it for them for free. And if it happens three or four times in a calendar year, supposedly our county will bill the home or business owner for the false alarm response.
I believe alarm companies ought to contract with security companies, or have their own security patrol, to check on their clients alarm activations. We should no longer respond unless a burglary or theft has already been discovered (albeit with some exclusions such as banks, medical, and fire for example).
Those numbers aren't even remotely close to right. The false alarm rate is closer to 99% and represent nearly 30% of all 911 calls. Multiple studies in multiple states show that when officers stop responding to alarm calls the burglary rate goes down and burglary arrests go up because officers are then free to proactively patrol their areas.
It's like getting 30% more officers without a budget increase.
I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS SINCE I'VE WORKED HERE! Dekalb needs money???? OBVIOUSLY not bad enough if there is not a user-friendly system in place to charge these residents and business owners for these repeated nuisances. THE MADNESS CONTINUES IS RIGHT, think about the amount of revenue these stupid alarms could generate...? and NOBODY can come up with a way to keep track of, process and send a bill?? unbelievably lame .....*shaking my head*
I'll tell you what "madness" is!
In the time it took you to post yet another article bitching and whining about DeKalb County, you could have very easily posted a short little blurb with a few links to any news agency in metro-Atlanta, all of which have stories highlighting the outstanding work by countless DeKalb Officers who helped apprehend a serial rapist.
Are you really here for DeKalb Officers? Or are you just here to bitch and complain about people you don't like? It seems like you just want to use the Officers when it is convenient to bitch about something. Because it's been a long time since I've seen this blog say anything positive about DeKalb Officers.
Anonmyous: you say it's been a long time since you've seen the blog say anything positive about DeKalb Officers? Maybe you should start over on the blog Home page and read some of the comments under article headlining with "Wendy Saltzman". Or maybe you're just trying to stir up something that isn't even there to stir up. Citizens have written in many times speaking high praises of our men and women on the force. and there is one writer's comments that even speak of a local restaurant owner who shows appreciation by offering a discounted price to officers and , for that matter, anyone working for public safety who shows a county I D.
I think that we work for the alarm companies and the insurance companies. A good many of my calls are FALSE alarms and BS parking lotfender benders, writing reports for insurance companies. I wonder how much the citizens know about how much time we waste doing PR crap as opposed to fighting real crime?
There have been positive comments about the officers. But when is the last time there was a positive story on the main page about officers?
I agree, these false alarms are ridiculus.They county can get hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue if they charge the residents and business owners for false alarms. The problem is the false alarm log is backed up, because we get so many in 24hr period.
Um, I think it was a "BS parking lot fender bender" that exposed Sharon Barnes-Sutton's outstanding warrants.
So, thanks boys and girls for answering those calls LOL
Me? A citizen who is very grateful to you. Very.
If the county wanted to really do something about the false alarms they would simply charge the alarm companies a hundred bucks for false alarms. If they pass the charges to the owners, they would raise hell and get the alarms fixed.
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