A false alarm in Kensington could soon cost you
Kevin Yarr | CBC News | Posted: October 17, 2016 3:00 PM | Last Updated: October 17, 2016
Town looks to implement $200 fine for false alarms
The Town of Kensington, P.E.I., is putting together a bylaw to encourage people with alarms to make sure they are working properly.
The town is proposing a $200 fine when police respond to a false alarm.
They're not able to respond to a real emergency. - Geoff Baker
Town CAO Geoff Baker said five to seven per cent of alarm calls in the town are false, and called that a big expense for the town to absorb.
Most of the time, Kensington only has one officer at a time patrolling its 1,500 residents.
"That's one of the dangers with false alarm calls," said Baker.
"When a police officer is responding to a false alarm call … they're not able to respond to a real emergency."
One warning
The problem is mostly with commercial, not residential, alarms, Baker said.
Alarm owners would get one warning within any 12-month period before being fined.
Some false alarms, such as those caused by weather, would not be subject to fines.
The $200 fine would roughly cover the cost of responding to the false alarm.
Baker said the bylaw will be circulated for discussion and public comment before council votes on it.
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