Take caution if your home has a faulty or sensitive alarm system. The District of Sparwood has created a new bylaw that will fine residents of the community for an excessive amount of false alarms calls.
Bylaw 1120 was adopted on May 6 and outlines the fees that will be charged for repeat visits by the police when responding to a false security alarm at a household or business. Property owners will be allowed one false alarm call at no charge within each calendar year, however a second visit in the same year will come at a cost of $150. A third response will result in a fine of $300, a fourth will result in a fine of $600, and a fifth will come with a fine of $1,200.
“This was requested to us from the RCMP regarding an abundance of calls taking them away from their other duties,” said Mayor Lois Halko.
The Elk Valley RCMP appeared before council in March to explain that false alarm calls in the area had increased by 53 per cent since 2010, and were costing the police time that could be better spent policing the community.
The bylaw and its corresponding fees will come into effect on August 1.