CITY MAY RAISE FEES FOR FALSE ALARMS 99% OF CALLS ARE FOR NO CRIME AT ALL.Byline: Angie ANGIE Adaptive Network for Granular Information and Evidence Processing Valencia-Martinez Staff Writer MOORPARK - Local deputies responded to at least 800 false burglar BURGLAR. One who commits a burglary. (q. v.) alarms in the city so far this year, and the City Council may boost fees and penalties for those whose alarms repeatedly sidetrack officers. Fewer than 1 percent of all electronic alarms at homes and businesses are real crimes, and deputies assigned as·sign tr.v. as·signed, as·sign·ing, as·signs 1. To set apart for a particular purpose; designate: assigned a day for the inspection. 2. to patrol Moorpark respond to four or five false alarms each day. The city of Moorpark has just three patrol cars at any one time. ``False alarms take police off the streets, and there needs to be a certain level of accountability for people with alarm systems,'' said Councilman Keith Keith may refer to: People with the given name Keith:
Contraction of has not. hasn't has not hasn't have been updated in a while.'' City staffers are reviewing how fees might be changed, with the City Council to review the issues in January. The city now allows two false alarms in a 12-month period. The third response costs alarm subscribers $55. The fourth $110. A fifth false alarm is $165. Every additional one is $110 - up to a maximum of $550. The city last changed fees in 1998. ``The problem is that the alarm technology is not perfect,'' said Senior Deputy Ed Tumbleson. ``There's a lot of factors that cause false triggers. ``It's a considerable problem. It's not safe for the resident. It's not safe for the officers ... all because an alarm system is crying wolf.'' Tumbleson said that as the city grows, the city can expect a surge in alarm calls. Angie Valencia-Martinez, (805) 583-7604 angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com |
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