Intruder Alarm Regulations

Definition

• Intruder alarm regulations often define the terms of an alarm system to reduce confusion in further legal proceedings. Alarm systems are defined as devices that emit visual, audible or other responses that can alert people outside of a building to what kind of emergency might occur within. Alarm users are the person or business that leases or purchases an alarm system. A false alarm is one that elicits a police personnel response when there is no evidence of criminal problems to justify that response. According to the Sheriff's Office of Chautauqua County New York, around 76 percent of all false alarms are caused by user error.

Registration

• For alarm users who have a system that immediately alerts police and emergency personnel, the system must be registered with the local law enforcement office. If working with an alarm monitoring company, registration information must be procured from the company in case the alarm needs to be turned off after false triggering. If you do not have a company that regulates your alarm system, you must get registration information directly from your local law enforcement agency. Registration can cost $25 or more to register the alarm system.

Liabilities

• Local laws hold alarm users liable for all false alarms. These false alarms can include those that occur from defective installation, failure to repair a system, improper use or operation, and defective equipment. If an alarm system is activated and the alarm user believes that an emergency actually does exist there will be no liability. There is also no liability if violent conditions of nature such as a tornado or hurricane caused the alarm system to go off.

Civil Penalties

• Cities have different civil penalties for continued false alarms by a household or business. In Chautauqua County, the first false alarm is a warning, the second and third are $25 fines, while six or more cost $200 per alarm. In Montgomery County, Maryland, the fines are much higher with a warning for the first false alarm, $25 for the second and up to $1,000 for the 15th false alarm. Non-residential alarms have increasing fines up to $4,000 for those past 20 false alarms. Users who do not register their alarm system after installation are also liable for fines.