Kannapolis to impose fines for false alarms

Kannapolis — The Kannapolis Police Department is kicking off the city's new program to reduce the number of false alarms and the unnecessary police response each requires.

In recent years, false alarms account for approximately 99.3 percent of all alarms to which the Kannapolis Police Department has responded. These false alarms divert law enforcement resources from crimes in progress, other emergency situations and time spent performing their normal duties.

Kannapolis City residents and businesses are now required to register their alarm system. The registration process will begin immediately.

"With over 3,300 false alarms per year, the Kannapolis Police Department loses over 1,100 man hours every year due to false alarms. This is the equivalent of one police officer spending six months of the year dealing with nothing other than false alarms," said Chief Chavis. "The implementation of this ordinance will enable officers to spend more time in the communities fighting crime."

The Kannapolis Police Department will continue tracking the number of false alarms in the city. In cases where police respond to three or more false alarms per year, the registered alarm user will face a series of graduated fines, ranging from $50 to $250 for each violation.

Excessive repeated false alarms (10 or more) will result in a $500 fine, revocation of the alarm owner's permit, and a suspension of response, which means police will no longer respond to the alarm location. Proof will then have to be provided that the alarm has been tested and fixed. Failing to register an alarm will result in a $200 fine. The provisions of the ordinance exclude activations of fire, motor vehicle, domestic violence or medical alarms.

"Our police department must take every alarm activation seriously. In nearly every instance, however, our officers arrive to discover a false alarm caused by equipment malfunction or human error," said Chief Chavis.

"This new program will help reduce the number of hours officers are diverted from critical police duties to respond to false alarms. This will ensure that officers are available to patrol our neighborhoods and respond to people in need."

For more information about the false alarm registration program or to register your alarm system, please call the city of Kannapolis False Alarm Reduction Program at 866- 402-2091, or go online at www.crywolf.us/kannapolisNC/default.asp.