Cracking down on false alarms

JEFFERSON - The City of Jefferson is cracking down on false alarms.

City officials have released a draft of an ordinance that would impose fines ranging from $50 to $500 for three or more false alarms a year. They hope this will reduce the number of such instances, which they say are placing an undue burden on the Jefferson Police Department.

Under the proposal, three or more false alarms within a calendar year are declared "excessive, constitutes a public nuisance and shall be unlawful." The ordinance goes on to say "civil penalties may be assessed against an alarm user" using the follow scale:

Third, fourth and fifth false alarm - $50
Sixth and seventh false alarm - $100
Eighth and ninth false alarm - $250
Tenth or more false alarms - $500