From: KenEsq050@aol.com [mailto:KenEsq050@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 1:02 PM
To: KenEsq050@aol.com
Subject: Texas - statewide police response law

This was reported in Security Sales & Intergration.  I have edited the report.

New Texas Law Puts Limits on City Alarm Response Policies

Jul 13, 2005, AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas has established a statewide alarm ordinance that puts guidelines on alarm response policies for cities and also sets a limit for how much a city could charge for an alarm permit. It also doesn’t allow any Texas city to enact a verified alarm response policy without holding public hearings.

The new law also authorizes cities in the state to require alarm companies to adopt enhanced call verification (ECV), where monitors must make two calls to attempt to reach an alarm owner before dispatching police. Texas is the first state to adopt an ECV provision.

 It will go into effect on Sept. 1.

Among the standards are ordinances that force officers to respond to a permitted burglar alarm no matter how many false alarms have been committed as long as the false alarm fines have been paid in full, though the new law also allows a city to revoke an alarm permit after eight false alarms within a year and end police response.

Under the new law, a Texas city can charge no more than $50 for a residential alarm permit and $100 for a commercial permit. A limit has also been set on false alarm fines: No more than $50 for four to five false alarms within a year; $75 for five to seven false alarms in a year; and $100 for eight or more within a year.

Alarm companies in Texas will now be required to distribute to new alarm customers information on how to prevent false alarms and operate the alarm system, as well as state the city’s alarm ordinances. In addition, all alarm system control panels installed in the state after Jan. 1, 2007 must comply with American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) standards for false alarm reduction.

 Ken Kirschenbaum, Esq
Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC
Attorneys at Law
200 Garden City Plaza
Garden City, NY 11530
516 747 6700 x 201
email me at
Ken@KirschenbaumEsq.com
visit our web site at
http://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/