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What is the difference?
The City of Blaine has had an alarm ordinance dating back to 1997. Last year, some much needed changes were implemented to the ordinance that has resulted in questions and concerns. In this section, we hope to address the most commonly asked questions.
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Why do I need to register my alarm system and what is the fee to register it? |
| A: |
You only need to register your system when it trips a false alarm; when you install a new system or move into a home that has an existing system. We do this to help track how many residents have alarm systems. The $10 registration fee is nominal, and the permit is good for as long as you own the system.
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| Q: |
Why am I being billed for a "false" alarm? |
| A: |
We allow three false alarms in a calendar year (which runs from January to December). After the third false alarm, we start to invoice you for excess false alarms. After six false alarms, police response to any further false alarms is suspended until all fines have been paid and proof of system repair has been provided to us showing you have fixed any problems. |
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| Q: |
How much are the fines? |
| A: |
Download a Copy of the Fee Schedule  [13k] |
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| Q: |
I have had false alarms before, why wasn't I notified of these changes? |
| A: |
In July 2004, a mass mailing was done to every residential address in the City that has had a previous alarm.
Some noteworthy changes to the ordinance affecting residents were:
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New system registration and registration when a system trips a false alarm. |
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Fine increases. |
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Monitoring systems must now call inside the home to verify the alarm before we will dispatch it. 100% of our residential alarms are false and the causes are user error. |
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Please take a few moments to browse through the ordinance to better understand the changes. If you still have questions, please contact Kim Kiley at 763-785-6186 or via email at kkiley@ci.blaine.mn.us.
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False Alarm Prevention Tips |
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