The City of Bloomington is taking a firm stand on the pervasive issue of false alarms, which local law enforcement finds themselves responding to with increasing regularity. According to the Bloomington Police Department, officers answer the call for upwards of 2000 alarm system activations each year. Half of these, the department notes, are false alarms, a significant drain on resources. An updated ordinance, last revised in 2000, and a reinforced penalty structure are in the works to tackle this area of concern.
Following suit with other cities across the state, Bloomington has decided that a financial disincentive might curtail the incidence of these alarms. This approach aligns with a broader rationale that penalties can help recoup a portion of the costs that such responses incur, contributing to the workload of officers who could be otherwise engaged in pressing matters of public security and safety. Notably, medical alarms will be exempt from these penalties, maintaining a clear path for critical emergency communications. In a recent update, residents were advised to “Know your codes so you can end false alarms fast”, as well as to maintain their equipment and secure their properties effectively.
For those Bloomington inhabitants eager to educate themselves and avoid falling foul of the forthcoming ordinance changes, the city has established a source of information on the topic. By visiting blm.mn/code and navigating to Article IV: Business Licenses and Regulations, sections 14.138 to 14.146, residents can familiarize themselves with the revised rules designed to minimize the disruption that false alarms cause.
The ordinance restructuring emerges as a solution that Bloomington has proposed, not in isolation, but within the context of a larger discourse on how to manage city resources with respect to maintaining the delicate balance between service and sustainability. While the police pride themselves on their commitment to serve, the city recognizes the necessity of adaptation, adapting to circumstances that, albeit unintentionally, divert critical attention from where it’s most needed. Repeat false alarms don’t just represent a numerical challenge, but a material impediment in the day-to-day functioning of law enforcement. As the numbers tell us, many are repeat calls to the same locations – a fact that this new ordinance aims to reconcile.