Police Urge Residents to Register Alarms

Springfield police are asking residents whose homes are equipped with alarm systems to register them with the police department and warning that frequent false alarms will result in fines.

 Township law requires residents to register alarms every year. Registering the alarms, police say, will cut down on false alarms.

Alarms must be registered by Jan. 15 each year.

In a statement, Springfield police note that when triggered, false alarms create a strain on the department, as officers to investigate every time an alarm goes off. There is a monetary penalty for frequent false alarms as well as for the failure to initially register or annually re-register an alarm.

More than three false alarms that sound in homes or businesses in the space of three months will result in a township ordinance summons. If residents or businesses owners trigger an alarm accidentally and immediately contact police, the false alarm will not count towards the fine.

Police say the purpose of the alarm ordinance aims is to standardize the types of alarm systems so that alarm activations, especially repetitive false alarms, are not ongoing and disruptive to neighbors or a burden for police services.

Alarm registration application forms, re-registration forms and other information is available in the police division records unit on the second floor of the township municipal building. The records unit’s phone number is (973) 912-2239. Residents can request the necessary forms to be sent via email.