Howard County - Police: False alarm prevention

County Executive County Council

Police: False alarm prevention

The Howard County Police Department is working to reduce false alarms in the county. False alarms cost taxpayers over $1 million each year and take police officers away from other crime prevention efforts. Police in Howard County respond to an estimated 20,000 false alarms each year. That’s why there’s a law in Howard County that requires all residential and commercial alarm systems to be registered with the county. The law also levies fines for repeat false alarms.

Alarm legislation was adopted in an effort to reduce the waste of resources that occurs when a false alarm sounds. When properly used, alarm systems are an effective tool for crime prevention, however; roughly 99 percent of all alarms are false. This excessively high false alarm rate reduces overall effectiveness and places a greater burden on public safety.

A false alarm is defined as any alarm activation that elicits a response by police, is not canceled prior to the arrival of police personnel and for which there is no evidence of criminal activity to justify the response. A false alarm may be caused by factors such as human error or equipment malfunction.

False alarm prevention brochure

Howard County Code, Title 17 Public Protection Services, Subtitle 7 Alarms

False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA)

Find an Installation Quality Certified alarm system company in Maryland

Automated Enforcement Unit

The Howard County police Automated Enforcement Unit is responsible for administering the county’s alarm law and reducing the number of false alarms. The AED registers alarm companies and alarm users, sends notifications of false alarms and issues fines for excessive false alarms. The unit can be contacted at 410-313-6199.

Alarm registration

It is the responsibility of alarm owners to register their alarm systems. Owners must register with the Automated Enforcement Unit through their alarm companies. Failure to register an alarm system can subject the owner of the system to a civil penalty of $200 for each police response to the alarm site, in addition to any penalties imposed for the false alarm itself. A one-time $25 registration fee must be paid with each registration form.

Alarm registrations are not transferable from one alarm user to another or from one location to another. However, if you change alarm companies, mailing address or contact information, you are not required to re-register your alarm system. You are required to advise the Automated Enforcement Division in writing of those changes.

Fines and penalties

Every alarm user is issued a warning letter for the first two false alarms. After the third false alarm within a 12-month period, a false alarm fine of $50 will be imposed. If false alarms continue to be activated, the fine will increase each time, up to $1,000. For every five false alarms activated, the Automated Enforcement Unit will require an inspection and certification of the system by a qualified alarm company. Alarm fines can be appealed through the Automated Enforcement Unit. The appeal request must be received within 30 days of the date marked on the Assessment of Penalty. There is a $20 filing fee for each appeal. The fee is refunded if the appeal is successful.

The Automated Enforcement Unit may refuse to grant an alarm registration to an alarm user or alarm business and may suspend or refuse to renew an alarm registration if fees required or imposed have not been paid; if installation repairs, maintenance or other work on an alarm system does not meet the requirements of the law; or if false information of a material matter has been submitted on an application.

False alarm fees