Oklahoma City considers raising costs for alarm system users

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma City police plan to raise costs for alarm system users goes to the city council this week and the proposal is already sounding bells with some in the security business

Sunday, November 3rd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma City police plan to raise costs for alarm system users goes to the city council this week and the proposal is already sounding bells with some in the security business and with residents who think it could lead to isolation for some of the city's most vulnerable.

``It's going to be too expensive for some people,'' said Camilla Haynes, who appreciates her own home alarm when her husband is out of town. ``What about the older people who live alone who feel safer with an alarm?''

The changes police want include charging $20 a year for a permit. Users now pay a one-time fee of $20. Police say that would help the department cover the cost of responding to false alarms, which make up more than 98 percent of all alarm calls.

Officers say it would also help residents by giving police more current information that is brought up to date every year. As it is now, they say, some records have not been updated since the 1980s.

The plan would also let police fine an alarm system owner after the fourth false alarm in a 90-day period. Alarm owners are now fined for exceeding four false alarms a year.

Cheri Fletcher of Allied Protective Systems says she thinks it might discourage customers. Edward Lyons, president of the Oklahoma Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, said he wishes police had consulted with members of his group before seeking the changes.

Ward 3 Councilman Larry McAtee said the cost of permits could go down as police recover from fees what they lose from responding to false alarms.

Tulsa has made its $20 annual permits optional for home and business alarms, a move that Oklahoma City police Sgt. Charles Phillips says defeats the purpose of the ordinance. Tulsa police, however, will not respond to an alarm that does not have a permit unless someone can verify to officers that a crime has happened.

Tulsa officers do answer all so-called ``panic'' alarms from homes and businesses.