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4- The Canadien Champion, Tueaday, June 17,1997' Halton willi fine false alarm repeat offenders By BRAD REAUME The Champion Alarm monitoring companies arc making moiîey by osing rax- payer-paid police, according to Oakvillc Councillor Keith Bird. He says conîpanies should be made to pay for at least a portion of the services they dernand. About 96 per cent of the almost 6,000 catIs received last year were false alarms, Mr. Bird said. Each caîl requires a substantial amount of police resources to investigate. I, I I , I m vi 11 1 1i t I i i 1 d1,111 conspanies 1or cadi t'aise alain in ais abnempt to recover some costs and ultimately reduce the number of calîs. The program will mun as a trial until November, 1998. Police will offer a registration program for monitored alarms. The first false alarm on a reg'istered location will be free, with homes paying $30 after that and businesses $60. False atarms at unregistered locations will cosi $50 for homeowners and $100 for businesses. The registration fee is $24 for private residences and $48 for businesses. O! tè~UKEXA~IL P~o~rn~s9 ~'4rt&? ~r(t49?~ - ý05-632-7796 905-844-4402 #gapegdwaî 9d 5-332-9888 eihýgY(f M~m 905-338-4400 tri spring and summer explore 10 of the most innovative and stimulating art and heritage treasures right in your own backyard and qualify to win fabulous prizes. GET ON THE TREASURE TRAIL AND WIN A TRIP TO CIANCUN. Oonated by CLUB ATLANTA TR4VEL Lots of other great prizes f00! Passports are $5 and are on sale at ail participating museums & art galleries. Cali any of them for more information or check out our website: www.treasuretrail.com Look for the TREASURE TRAIL LAND ROVER at special events in Halton & Peel courtesy of BUDDS' LAND ROVER, Oakville. D 1 ý1-ôj-Yôu1 90-8540234 The "On the Treasure Trail" project would not have been Ae fceWkf ifa 1 m iiee tc possible without sponsorship from the Ministry of Culture, 905-896-5088 905-822-2347 Citizenship & Recreation and our other generous sponsors. or Later, >wn Generals> a l2-inonth pcniod the police will flot respond to alarm calîs there and place it on suspension for one year. "People are making money off our police ser- vices," said Mr. Bird. 'They are wasting resources and they get to pocket the moriey. False alarms take police off the streets and ultimately put the rest of the community at risk.' H-lton police Chief Peter "False alarms take Campbell admitted there is a potential for a civil suit police off the streets against the region if police and ultimately put the feut to respond to a legiti- rest of the community mate alarm. However, the suspension programn bas at risk." been in place in Halton and ................. other jurisdictions for sever- KII M ai years without any legal proceedings frled. Chief Campbell said he would prefer flot to have to institute the charge but given fiscal realities, he saw no other choice. "Fromn a philosophical standpoint 1 find this repugnant," he said. "It is flot the way I would like to, do business but in the eco- nomic climate of today we have to contain our costs. 1 would like counicil bo sa>1, 'Don't institute these charges and we'lI give you an extra $500,000 to, cover the costs'.- Chief Campbell admitted the programn could I ead to other police user fees but said given the Police Act and other regula- tions it is bard to say what will bappen. According to police Staff Sergeant Peter Whittakcr the aclual cost in officer response for false alarms is about $376,000 per year. There is a potential for about $300,000 in registration fees and an additional $400,000 in false alarmn charges, though police said they did flot expect to sec anywhere near the total potential -see FALSE on page 9 Haven't You Been Without a Carrier Ln EoughV Cali Select Energy Now ta Find Out How Easy it is ta GjetOne! An lo Receive a Cash Reae ffliv ~ ~ Puchs a Ceta*iodtoig&Hatn ytmFo eetEe TUIE S DAY. JUNE 1i7 IN-TOWN & RURAL Centerville Amusement Garden Gallery (P) Shoppers Drug Mari Speclrsm Flooning (P) Zellers (P) IN-TOWN ONLY A&W Food Services (P) Twice The Deal Pizza (P) RURAL ONLY Lansing Buildal Valassis Shop & Save *P=Parial Delivery M