NEW ORLEANS – Starting today, the NOPD will start issuing fines to people who repeatedly call in false alarms.
The new penalties carry a fine of $75 for a second offense and $150 for third and fourth offenses, according to the NOPD.
The NOPD will also stop monitoring services for any alarm user who makes four or more false alarm calls.
“NOPD is taking a new approach to dealing with false alarms, which currently account for the overwhelming number of alarm calls,” Superintendent Michael Harrison said. “These calls waste a tremendous amount of our officers’ time and resources. By decreasing or eliminating false alarm calls, we’re enabling officers to respond to actual crimes and emergencies when they arise. Our job is to protect and serve the people of New Orleans, and this program is going to help free up officers’ time to do just that.”
In 2016, nearly all automated alarm calls in Orleans Parish – 39,643 out of 40,100 – were false alarms, amounting to an average of 110 false alarm calls per day, according to the NOPD
With officers spending anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour investigating each call, false alarms were a huge drain on resources last year, according to the NOPD.
With the new penalties in place as of today, the NOPD hopes the frequency of false alarm calls will decline sharply.
For information about the False Alarm Ordinance Program, call 1-855-905-0614