City council considering imposing a $100 fee for those who needlessly activate panic alarms
BY SUSAN SCHROCK
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas
Updated: 08-11-2011 2:05 pm
Aug. 10--ARLINGTON -- To help offset police expenses, the city may raise commercial burglar alarm permit fees and penalize Arlington residents and business owners who accidentally trip panic alarms.
The City Council is considering raising the commercial fee from $50 to $100 annually and creating a $100 fee for those who activate panic alarms without needing police assistance. Residential burglar alarm permit fees are capped by the state at $50 a year.
During a budget meeting Tuesday, Police Chief Theron Bowman told the council that businesses are responsible for nearly half of the 15,000 burglar alarm calls each year but make up only about 18 percent of permit holders.
"On average, 99 percent of alarms are false," Bowman said. "We probably didn't have a single legitimate panic alarm last year."
The increased fees, expected to generate $250,000 a year, are among cost-cutting or revenue-generating measures aimed at balancing the city's $200 million general fund budget for next fiscal year. The budget, which the council will vote on next month, also includes new fees for nonresidents using Arlington libraries, a proposal to outsource apartment inspections and a one-time 4 percent bonus for city employees in lieu of a raise.
Arlington has about 3,900 commercial burglar alarm permit holders, and most of the 2,516 panic alarm calls last year were at businesses, Bowman said.
Responding to those high-priority alarms is costly because more police officers must arrive more quickly than on general burglar alarm calls, which are usually tripped by sensors, Bowman said. Residents and businesses would not be charged the $100 fee when panic alarms are activated legitimately.
"Most false alarms that we see are because of defective equipment or operator error," Bowman said. "If it's a panic alarm in the middle of the night where there is a prowler or a noise, that is not a false alarm."
Dallas, Plano, San Antonio and Garland have similar panic alarm permit fees, Bowman said.
This year, Arlington proposed outsourcing burglar alarm responses to armed security guards instead of uniformed officers to save about $1.1 million. Council members rejected that plan, so the Police Department will have to identify $772,000 more in cuts, or less than 1 percent of its total $82.7 million budget, for next fiscal year.
At-large Councilman Jimmy Bennett said that while no one likes paying new fees, charging the customers who require additional police resources makes more sense than raising taxes on everyone.
"Because of the burden false alarms have placed on our Police Department, particularly on the commercial end, I feel it's a responsible way to make those parties responsible for the cost to bear some portion. Even so, these fees come nowhere near the costs to provide the actual response service," Bennett said. "While there is a justification for it, we are looking for other ways to avoid having to charge these limited additional fees."
Town-hall meetings on the proposed budget are set for Aug. 23-24, and a public hearing is set for Sept. 8. Property tax rates are expected to stay the same for the ninth year in a row.
Mace completes multimillion dollar financing deal
Richard Barone elected chairman of company
BY SIW EDITORIAL STAFF
SecurityInfoWatch.com
Updated: 08-11-2011 2:52 pm
Mace Security International, a manufacturer of electronic surveillance and personal protection solutions, announced Wednesday that it has completed a multimillion financing deal led by The Ancora Group, which is based in Cleveland, Ohio.
According to a statement, The Ancora Group and its investment partner, Merlin Partners LLC, will now have a 35 percent ownership stake in the company.
In addition, Ancora Group Chairman Richard Barone has been elected as the new chairman of Mace. Barone was elected to the Mace board in 2009 to help resolve a variety of problems the company was facing at the time including the purchase of unrelated businesses such as car washes and an internet marketing company.
"During the past two years we have resolved all of these issues. We are no longer in the car wash or internet business. We have settled all matters which could affect our balance sheet," Barone said in the statement. "Our two remaining divisions, wholesale remote monitoring of homes and warehouses and pepper spray security products, are doing well. The recently completed financing provides Mace with the financial strength to grow its personal defense product lines"
Denis Amato, chief investment officer at Ancora and Larry Pollock, managing partner of Lucky Star Partners and former president of Cole National have also been elected to the Mace board.
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