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Prohibition of False Alarms Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania State Police Embreeville Station 1818 West Strasburg Road Coatesville, Pennsylvania 19320 (610) 269-5355 September 11, 1998 Dear Township Supervisors, The purpose of this correspondence is to notify you and the residents of your municipality of a new State Police procedure concerning false burglary or panic alarms. Burglary alarm systems, when used properly, can be an effective deterrent against crime. However, responding to false alarms is an inefficient use of a police officer's time and effort. In 1997, members of this station responded to 1100 false alarms, or 9.23% of the station's total incidents. In 1998, these figures are increasing. As of September 1, 1998, troopers responded to 847 false alarms or 10.27% of the station's total incidents. Act 70 of 1998 amended Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by creating Section 7511 - Control of Alarm Devices and Automatic Dialing Devices. Subsection (c), "False Alarms Prohibited", states: "A person that owns, uses or possesses an alarm device or automatic dialing device may not, after causing or permitting three false alarms to occur in a consecutive 12 month period, cause or permit a subsequent false alarm to occur in the same consecutive 12 month period. A person that violates this paragraph commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $300.00. This law was effective August 17, 1998. This station will target enforcement efforts against those residents or businesses which are chronic violators of this law. Efforts will be made to notify these violators of the law and that they may be subject to prosecution. If you have any further questions please contact me. In the future, a designated trooper will be given the responsibility to coordinate the station's false alarm response. Sincerely, Lieutenant Dennis P. Dougherty (signed) Station Commander

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