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As of next year, the village o...

HOLLY, Michigan – For the last two weeks, the Holly Police Department has been visiting all commercial businesses within the village of Holly, and speaking to owners with regard to recent updates made to the village’s False Alarm Ordinance.

Adopted in 1982, the original ordinance has changed, requiring all commercial businesses having alarm systems to register their business with the village offices. The registration process includes gathering important information that could be helpful to the police and fire departments in the case of emergencies, including alarm types, and any hazardous materials that may be on the premises.

The information being distributed by HPD informs business owners that there is a penalty for false alarms reported to the police department. Effective in January, commercial businesses will be allowed one false alarm per calendar year. Subsequent faulty alarms will come with a mandatory penalty of $50, and false alarms after that are charged a $75 fee.

Exceptions to the false alarm penalties include storms or weather conditions that activate the alarm, alarms activated by persons working on the alarm system with prior notification given to the police department, and alarms that have been activated by disruption or disturbance of telephone lines or other communication systems.

Businesses will receive notification  from the police department, outlining the date and time of the false alarm, and what if anything, the responding officer found that may excuse the payment of the false alarm fee. Within 10 days of receipt of the alarm notification form, the alarm user shall return the completed form to the police department. If one of the extenuating circumstances has not been met, then the business owner will be required to pay the fee within 20 days to the village offices.

Failure to pay false alarm fees constitute a misdemeanor and persons violating the payment provisions shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, and/or imprisonment for up to 90 days.

Police responded to 230 false alarm calls in 2007, 169 false alarms in 2008, and to date, have responded to 154 false alarms this year.

Additional questions and concerns about the new policy can be directed to Lt. Det. Scott Fischer at (248) 634-8221.