* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Spector
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Informational Hearing - False Alarm Reduction Program
FOR the purpose of requesting that the Baltimore City Police Commissioner and officials of Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., brief the Council on the current status of false alarms in Baltimore City, update the Council as to whether the current fees imposed for false alarms have helped reduce the number of false alarms in Baltimore City, and discuss the current contract situation for the False Alarm Reduction Program.
Body
Recitals
On November 4, 2002, the Board of Estimates gave approval to the provisions of City Council Ordinance 02-329 that required all burglar alarm users and businesses, defined as those that monitor, install, or sell alarms, to be registered by the City. Since then, residents of Baltimore City who have burglar alarm systems in their homes have been obligated to pay false alarm fees when it is found that an alarm has falsely gone off in their home more than twice in a 12-month period. These residents were also obligated to pay an initial $20 registration fee to be enrolled in the False Alarm Reduction Program. This fee is a mandatory registration fee for all alarm users in Baltimore City. This program has apparently cut down on the number of false alarms that were creating issues for communities, as well as the police officers trying to keep those communities safe.
If there has been a significant drop in the false alarms, then there may be no need to continue charging registration fees to alarm users that currently have alarms that work properly and who already pay alarm fees to companies that provide alarm services. The City's current contract, with Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., is set to terminate on November 1, 2008. Prior to this termination date, there is the option for the City to extend the contract for another 3 years.
This informational hearing should provide answers to questions that remain regarding the status of the False Alarm Reduction Program and allow the City Council to be informed as to the inner workings of the program in order to help make the decisions as to what the next steps in maintaining the program should be. Whether the citizens of Baltimore City should have to continue to pay the registration fee for their alarms is an important one. In the current climate of heightened expenses, the City of Baltimore should be trying to help City residents by releasing them from the obligations to pay potentially unnecessary fees. If the False Alarm Reduction Program has accomplished its goals, then the registration fees are no longer a necessary component to reducing false alarms, and the program should be altered to suit the current needs of Baltimore City residents.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That this Body requests that the Commissioner of the Baltimore City Police Department and officials of Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., brief the Council on the current status of false alarms in Baltimore City, update the Council as to whether the current fees imposed for false alarms have helped reduce the number of false alarms in Baltimore City, and discuss the current contract situation for the False Alarm Reduction Program.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Police Commissioner, the Finance Director, officials of Affiliated Computer Services, the organizations of the Planning Department's Community Association Directory, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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