Date: Fri 31-Jan-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Legislative-Council-ordinance

Full Text:

HEARING SET ON ALARM ORDINANCE

The Legislative Council has set a public hearing on an amendment to the town's

alarm systems and users ordinance Wednesday, February 19, at 7:15 pm, in the

middle school library, 10 Queen Street.

Late last year, the Ordinance Committee, a branch of the Legislative Council,

recommended the passage of an alarm ordinance that would require a one-time

fee to all residents who own or plan to own a burglar alarm system. The

ordinance would also require fines to be handed out to repeat false-alarm

offenders by the Board of Selectmen. An appeals board would be set up to allow

residents to challenge their fines.

The Ordinance Committee took up the ordinance at the request of local law

enforcement officials who in recent years have seen the number of false alarms

in Newtown increase significantly. Last year, the town received 2,223 burglar

alarms for homes and businesses, of which 11 were actual burglaries. The rest

were false alarms.

The Newtown Police Department would be responsible for the administration of

the ordinance.