New Law Would Fine False Fire, Burglary Alarms in New Milford

NEW MILFORD, CT —A proposed ordinance would levy fees on residents and business owners who call in false burglary or fire alarms, the News Times is reporting.

Under the proposed law, a first false alarm would get a pass. A resident would be charged $50 for the second, $100 for the third, and $150 for each alarm thereafter during a 12-month period. Residents or business owners who do not pay their fine within 30 days would be placed on a “suspension-of-response” list.

Two out of about 1,380 burglary alarms received in 2016 were actual burglaries. Four out of 1,510 calls were legitimate in 2017, and so far in 2018, just two out of 780 burglar alarms have signified genuine burglaries.

The new law would also have provision for an "alarms appeal board" for people who might dispute the illegitmacy of an alarm.

The proposed ordinance is expected to be voted on at the next Town Council meeting.

For more, see the News Times.