False alarms will cost home, business owners

Starting next week, residential and commercial property owners in Cobb County must begin registering their security systems to comply with an ordinance designed to reduce false alarms.

The County Commission on Tuesday took a step toward the implementation of the program by approving an agreement with a northern Virginia-based company to track false alarm incidents.

The ordinance that goes into effect Jan. 1 sets fines for repeated cases in which police respond to false alarm reports. The county will impose fines of $50 after the third false alarm, up to $300 for the 10th.

Registration is free, but the ordinance carries a $100 fine for failing to register.

Property owners would be notified of alarm ordinance violations by mail.

Cobb police responded to nearly 48,000 security alarms in 2007, nearly all of which were false alarms.

Mickey Lloyd, the county public safety director, told commissioners the ordinance has the potential to reduce instances of false alarm responses by 50 percent over five years.

The program, Lloyd said, “gives the property user accountability for their alarm systems.”

The agreement with contractor GTSI Corp. and subcontractor AOT Public Safety Corp. is for three years, and the county has the option to extend it for another three.

The companies would receive 70 percent of collected alarm ordinance fees after the county is reimbursed for program-related expenses.

Residents may register home and business security systems starting Oct. 1 with the Cobb County Police Department at www.cobbpolice.com, or on the county Web site at www.cobbcounty.org.