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HomeMy WebLinkAbout080717_cabs01CABS Commissioners Office JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST TO: Board of County Commissioners Philip Morley, County Administrator FROM: Chief Criminal Deputy Art Frank DATE: August 7, 2017 SUBJECT: Proposed Alarm Ordinance and Permit requirement STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Each year the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office responds to hundreds of FALSE Alarms (burglar alarms). ANALYSIS: Currently there is no requirement that persons who subscribe to private alarm service maintain their systems in proper working order. These systems when activated automatically alert the private monitoring company who in turn calls Jeff Comm and initiate a call for service. The false alarms can be generated by an electrical surge, a pet wondering in the house or equipment that is not maintained. When JCSO is contacted for a response, we are not provided with accurate contact information and have to use the alarm company as a go between to gather information. The result of these calls is the loss of thousands of labor hours and wear and tear of vehicles. RECOMMENDATION: Initiate an Alarm Permit process that would: 1. Require systems be maintained with the possibility of an administrative fee for excessive false alarms 2. Maintain contact information that would allow deputies to handle calls efficiently 3. Reduce false alarms 4. Compensate Jefferson County - JCSO for costs related to excessive false alarms. REVIEWED BY: -�' �? Philip Mo ey County Administrator Date Overview It is common throughout Jefferson County for residents to have an emergency alarm system installed in their residences. Frequently the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office (JCSO) responds to these alarms and approximately 98.5% of the time these calls for service (CFS) are found to be false. The estimated time per Deputy to handle a false alarm call is on average approximately 30 minutes which takes away valuable pro -active patrol time and investigating crimes already reported; especially with the manpower issues JCSO faces. We are proposing an ordinance be enacted to hold frequent violators of false alarms accountable and one way to do that is by enforcement. Currently Jefferson County does not have an ordinance in reference to alarms on residences and businesses. In speaking with other Olympic Peninsula agencies that have enacted a similar ordinance, it has reduced the number of alarm call responses leaving more time for officers to patrol or focus on other priority calls and community crime prevention. As you will learn in reading the proposal is, JCSO Is responding to hundreds of false alarms which is taking imperative patrol hours away from the community. —FIX False alarm -defined The activation of an alarm system through mechanical or electronic failure, malfunction, improper installation, and/or negligence by the alarm system user or agent, and a law enforcement response is requested. Cancellations If JCSO is cancelled while en route to the scene, the alarm will not be deemed false and will not be subject to the following restrictions, requirements, and fees. Objective The objective is to limit the amount of false alarm calls JCSO responds to; to better manage other patrol activities and other crime prevention projects throughout our various communities. • Improve response times to more priority calls for service • More pro -active patrols, instead of re -active patrols for crime prevention • More time for deputies to investigate crime already reported • Make alarm call response more streamline for Deputies to conduct better investigations The Opportunity There is an opportunity to make the job easier for patrol deputies and for the citizens of Jefferson County to feel safer. If the BOCC will consider enacting an alarm ordinance, it would require citizens who have emergency alarm's installed in their residences and/or property to obtain a permit through JCSO. Along with the permit the citizen would be required to complete an emergency contact card providing JCSO with all of their current contact information or anyone who would be responsible for maintaining the property of where the alarm is at. For frequent offenders the ordinance highlights monetary penalties which can go towards other crime prevention programs through JCSO if enforced. Our Proposal In speaking with other agencies who have enacted a similar ordinance their number of alarm response calls have dropped creating more time for their officers on more pressing community issues. We find it would be better for everyone to propose an ordinance regarding this matter -FIX. Below is a list of the requirements and monetary values. The records division at JCSO would be responsible for maintain the record of alarm permits and handling the financial side of the ordinance including registration fees, false alarm violation fees and all other fees associated with the ordinance. One suggestion: • Yearly registration $35.00 o Late fee $55.00 • First false alarm within a 180 day period is no charge o Second false alarm is $50.00 o Third false alarm is $100.00 o Fourth and subsequent false alarms are $100.00 with the possibility of taking a unit out of service until it can be repaired by a licensed alarm repair technician. • Failure to complete a registration would result in a possible fine Another Suggestion: • Free Yearly registration with completed registration/contact card o Fail to register yearly would result in a possible fine • Keep false alarm penalties the same Rationale Below are the stats for the last 5 years where JCSO responded to alarm calls. On average the typical false alarm requires one deputy to be involved for approximately 30 minutes. Note the cost is determined on JCSO's current top step and does not include Jeffcom fees, vehicles fuel and maintenance. Year False Alarms Hours Cost 2012 290 145 $5,324.40 2013 354 177 $6,499.44 2014 335 168 $6,168.96 2015 399 200 $7,344.00 2016 348 174 $6,389.28 2017 -current Totals 1,726 864 $31,726.08 Fees See the table below with the number of false alarms and the fees JCSO would accrue if the ordinance was enacted using the fee scale listed in the first suggestion, assuming each false alarm was the 1St false alarm: Year Registration Fees Violation Fees Totals 2012 $10,150 $14,500 $24,650 2013 $12,390 $17,700 $30,090 2014 $11,725 $16,750 $28,475 2015 $13,965 $19,950 $33,915 2016 $12,180 $17,400 $29,580 2017 Totals $60,410 $67,319 $146,710 Duties of the alarm user • Maintain the premises and the alarm system in a method that will reduce or eliminate false alarms • Provide the alarm company the permit number issued by JCSO • Must respond or cause a representative to respond to the alarm system's location within 30 minutes when notified • Not manually activate an alarm for any reason other than an occurrence of an event that the alarm system was intended to report or to perform routine maintenance as prescribed by alarm system provider • An alarm user must obtain a new permit if there is a change in address or ownership of a business or residence Duties of the alarm company Any person engaged in the alarm business in the county, shall comply with the following: • Obtain and maintain the required county license(s) • Be able to provide name, address, and telephone number of the license holder or a designee, who can be called in an emergency, 24hours a day; and be able to respond to an alarm call, when notified, within TIME FRAME • Be able to provide the most current contact information for the alarm user • Prior to activation of the alarm system, the alarm company must provide instructions explaining the proper operation of the alarm system to the alarm user • Provide written information of how to obtain service from the alarm company for the alarm system Duties of the alarm company with alarm activation • Attempt to verify, by calling the alarm site and/or alarm user by telephone, to determine whether an alarm signal is valid before requesting dispatch • Telephone verification shall require, as a minimum that a second call be made to a different number, if the first attempt fails to reach an alarm user who can properly identify themselves to attempt to determine whether an alarm signal is valid, except in the case of a panic or robbery - in -progress alarm, or in cases where a crime -in progress has been verified by video and/or audible means • Provide alarm user registration number to Jeffcom to facilitate dispatch and/or cancellations • Communicate any available information about the alarm • Communicate a cancellation to Jeffcom as soon as possible following a determination a response is unnecessary Execution Strategy We prepared an ordinance which mimics an ordinance the City of Port Angeles enacted in 2009. If agreed upon and put into law, we would have a grace period to ensure education throughout the community on the ordinance whether it be from contacting alarm monitoring companies, information left at residences in which we respond to alarms, or media postings. Summary The city/county governments that have enacted a False Alarm Ordinance have seen a 40%-600 reduction in false alarms. This would reduce time deputies invest in false alarm calls and allow them to concentrate on crimes already reported and/or pro -active crime prevention. It is the recommendation of the sheriff's office to move forward with creating a False Alarm ordinance in Jefferson County.