A recent story in Spokane Sportsman-Review in Washington reminds us of an important point: When alarm registration fees are assessed by a local police department, it is important to pay them. If not, you may get delayed service.
The story in the Spokesman-Review explained how a local business had not paid its registration fees. The fees that the city collects help offset the cost of sending vehicles and personnel to false dispatch calls. The goal, the ordinance says, is “to assure that responses to false alarms do not diminish the availability of police services to the general public.”
Cities that establish fees and fines in their alarm ordinances do so for a reason: To cover the costs of administering the program. If alarm owners are recalcitrant, that constrains the police and their ability to respond. No one wants a delayed response to an alarm.
SIAC encourages you to stay on top of your responsibilities if you are a business or home with an alarm system. Be aware of registration and re-registration periods for your alarm permits. If you are assessed a fine, make sure to pay it in a timely manner. It’s the responsible and right thing to do.