Fines For False Alarms Set To Start In Spartanburg County

A new false alarm ordinance governing the unincorporated parts of Spartanburg County goes into effect today.

Homeowners and businesses in Spartanburg County may be fined for excessive false alarms from their security systems, according to an ordinance that goes into effect today. The fines are:
$50: For the third, fourth and fifth false alarms at an address in one year.
$100: For the sixth and seventh false alarms in a year.
$250: For the eighth and ninth false alarms.
$500: For the 10th false alarm and beyond.

Businesses and residents with alarm systems will be required to register at the County Administration Building on North Church Street in Spartanburg. Registration is free.

The ordinances states that excessive false alarms constitute a public nuisance. After two false alarms at the same address within a year, the person at that address will be issued fines in the following order: $50 (third, fourth and fifth false alarms), $100 (sixth and seventh), $250 (eighth and ninth) and $500 (tenth and beyond).

“The bottom line is it will allow the sheriff's office to utilize resources more efficiently by reducing the number of false alarms that come in on a daily basis,” County Administrator Glenn Breed said.

The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office responds to several thousand false alarm calls per year, costing about $100,000 in time and resources. Some schools, nonprofits and government agencies have been among the biggest offenders in the past.

Spartanburg Sheriff Chuck Wright first approached the council about establishing a false alarm ordinance in March 2009.

One measure passed in the fall, but it was repealed a month later following protests that it invaded privacy and was too restrictive.

Councilman David Britt said he spoke with several alarm companies in town and was told some people stopped using their systems out of fear of being fined.

Wright has since had the ordinance simplified to require only basic information. But the intent of the original ordinance remains the same.

“It didn't seem like there was an incentive to get (a faulty alarm) fixed,” Britt said. “When Chuck's folks were responding to a false alarm, someone on the other side of the county could be having a legitimate emergency. And we just don't have the staff.”

When the first ordinance was repealed in December, more than 3,300 people had registered so far. Breed said that number has not changed substantially.

Council gave final approval to the new, streamlined ordinance this month.

“I applaud the sheriff,” Britt said. “And if this doesn't work, we'll tweak it some more.”

The sheriff's office will handle any appeals of fines, Breed said.

For questions about registration, call the county's Budget Management Office at 596-3202.