KINGSTON –
Ulster County property owners can now pick up alarm system permits from
the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum said.
They are required under a county local law known as the “False Alarm
reduction Act,” which becomes effective on January 1.
Under the law, it is a violation to cause an alarm system to operate that
results in a call the police or other first responders including firefighters
and emergency services, without a valid permit issued by the sheriff’s
office. An application fee if $10 applies.
The law prohibits false alarms. It establishes civil penalties for false
alarms by permit holders and stiffer fines for those without a permit.
It also gives the sheriff the authority to revoke a permit under certain
circumstances.
Property owners are exempt in municipalities that already have false alarm
laws including the City of Kingston and the towns of Saugerties, Woodstock
and Esopus.
The county legislature passed the law to reduce the drain caused by false
alarms on the resources of the sheriff’s office, police departments
and other first responders. The law is designed to curtail a waste of
taxpayer money and the diversion of those responders away from people
who may actually be in peril or need assistance, Van Blarcum said.
