The Winder Police Department has asked the city council to institute a city alarm ordinance that would impose registration and equipment requirements and fines for an excessive number of false alarms.
Winder Police Capt. Dennis Dorsey said during a council work session Tuesday afternoon that police officers are responding to too many false alarms at city residences and businesses.
He said there were 1,130 false alarms in 2007 and 1,322 false alarms in 2008. Responding to those calls costs the city about $30,000 a year in wasted man-hours, Dorsey said.
After reviewing other municipalities’ alarm ordinances, the police department developed a draft that was presented to the council.
Council members raised questions about several aspects of the proposed ordinance. City manager Bob Beck said it would be amended to address those concerns and brought back to the March 3 council meeting. That meeting will be preceded by a March 2 work session.