Setting off a false security alarm will now cost home and business owners $100 every time police are required to attend.
On Monday city council approved an amendment to the Prince George's security alarm bylaw putting the new charges into effect.
"In 2010 there were 1,708 false alarms recorded. Of those 572 were nonresidential and 1,136 were residential," city police support services manager Devon Cooper wrote in her report to council. "This issue relates to... a recovery to help cover the cost of responding to false alarms and, at the same time, promotes efficient use of police resources."
Under the old bylaw, property owners were given a warning on the first and second false alarm per year, Cooper said. A third false alarm in a year resulted in a $100 fine, a fourth $150 and a fifth or subsequent false alarm resulted in a $200 fine.
"Last year 66 clients were billed, of the 1,708 [false alarms]," Cooper said.
The previous fine schedule had been set in 2000, she added, and the number of alarm clients fined was fairly consistent over the decade.
"This new fee structure is to encourage property owners to be responsible with their alarms," Cooper said.
Property owners can face additional fines if police are called to an alarm and appropriate contact information hasn't been provided, or if the owner or a representative fail to arrive 30 minutes after requested to do so by RCMP.
