Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves ordinance allowing third-party alarm management; change effective Oct. 1
Summary
The council approved an update to the city's alarm-permitting ordinance permitting third-party vendors to manage alarm systems; police said the move should reduce false alarms and free staff time.
The City Council on Aug. 26 approved an ordinance updating the municipal alarm-permitting and fine process to permit third-party vendors to manage alarm systems and enforcement processes. The ordinance change was approved unanimously and staff requested an Oct. 1 effective date to align the change with the fiscal year.
Chief Herman briefed the council, saying the new allowance for third-party alarm-management vendors is intended to reduce false alarms and streamline administrative work within the records division. He said alarm calls are the fourth-most-common call type the department responds to and that false alarms require officers to be dispatched; using a third-party vendor, as seen in other jurisdictions, can lower false-alarm volumes while the police continue to respond to verified alarms.
The council approved the ordinance with an Oct. 1 effective date and recorded a unanimous voice vote; no local fiscal expenditure was associated with the action in the presentation.
