In an effort to reduce the number of false alarms in the city
limits that divert police resources away from more pressing public
safety issues, the Morgan Hill Police Department has proposed
hiring a private contractor to administer the city’s alarm
ordinance.
In an effort to reduce the number of false alarms in the city limits that divert police resources away from more pressing public safety issues, the Morgan Hill Police Department has proposed hiring a private contractor to administer the city’s alarm ordinance.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the city council will consider the proposal to hire Public Safety Corporation to provide the services.
About a year ago, the council enhanced its burglar alarm ordinance, also in an effort to reduce false alarms. The current ordinance allows home and business owners with alarm systems on their property one “free” false alarm per year, according to Morgan Hill Police Cmdr. David Swing. After that, alarm owners are charged a fine of $141 for each repeated false alarm for the rest of the year.
Plus, the owners of all properties equipped with burglar alarms have to register their alarms with the local police department, at an annual cost of $50 for each owner.
If accepted by the council, the contract with Public Safety Corporation would authorize the company to handle the city’s alarm registration program, including storage of information about alarm locations, keeping track of chronically false alarms and billing repeat offenders for fines. Those tasks are currently done by police department staff.
Furthermore, alarm owners would see improved service in some ways, as Public Safety Corporation would allow them to register their alarms and pay fees on the Internet and provide residents a “dedicated point of contact,” Swing said.
The contract would not change the city’s response times and strategy, and police will continue to respond to all alarm calls unless they are notified en route that a call was accidental, Swing added.
The cost of the contract would depend on the number of false alarms and registered alarms. The first two years of the four-year agreement would cost the city 23 percent of revenues received through these sources, and the next two years would cost about 20 percent of the revenues.
Last year, the city collected about $25,000 from the fees and fines, Swing said. That’s a decline from the previous year, when the city collected about $30,000 in alarm ordinance violations.
Police expected revenues to increase in the first year of the new ordinance, but the enforcement and billing for false alarms “slipped through the cracks” because of declining staff and resources in the police department, and the need to address higher priorities such as responding to crime calls and finding suspects with warrants, Swing said.
“What we have found is with our reduction in staff in the police department and throughout city hall, we don’t have staff resources to effectively manage this program,” Swing said.
Historically, the city’s collection rate for false alarm fines is about 70 percent.
The ultimate goal is to lighten the need for such services by reducing the number of false alarm calls through “more effective management,” Swing added. By holding alarm owners accountable and ensuring that those in violation of the ordinance are required to pay the fines, the city can focus on more important issues.
“That will help us to dedicate officer time to being more productive, and working the community to reduce crime and improve safety,” Swing said.
In 2009, police responded to 1,667 calls for alarms at residential and commercial properties. About 57 percent – or 958 – were false alarms. In 467 alarm incidents, the call was canceled because the property owner or alarm monitoring company determined it was accidental before police arrived. And only two alarms to which police responded last year showed evidence of a crime – one vandalism and one burglary incident, Swing said.
The new ordinance was enacted about halfway through the year, and Swing said the numbers may not yet be an indicator of how effective the new rules are. In 2008, police responded to 1,550 alarms – 434 of which were canceled by the property owner or alarm company, and 880 of which were false.
Most police calls for alarms are in response to chronically false alarms, Swing said.
Alarm owners can reduce the occurrence of false alarm signals by understanding what causes alarms to be activated, such as strong winds or loose items such as balloons passing in front of alarm sensors, Swing added. The owners of repeatedly false alarms should also periodically ask their alarm companies to test their systems to ensure they are working properly.
