Merced Mysteries & Minutiae: County alarm policies different than new Merced ones

Recently, the city of Merced passed a false-alarm ordinance and began requiring home and business owners to get a permit for security alarms.

False alarms became a nuisance for the Merced Police Department. Officers spent too much time responding to false alarms instead of true emergencies. So the city adopted a fee schedule for repeat offenders and required residents to apply for a permit.

It’s also an issue for the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, which is historically understaffed, Sheriff Vern Warnke said. The sheriff said nearly all burglar alarm calls are false alarms.

That’s got some residents living outside the city limits wondering what the rules are for them.

Q: How does Merced County’s alarm ordinance compare with the city of Merced’s?

A: Probably the most noticeable difference is the cost of filing an application.

Since the city of Merced just began requiring the permit, the cost is free.

In the county, however, it costs $20 to file an application.

The fee schedule for false-alarm offenses also differ.

In the Merced city limits, offenders aren’t fined until the third false alarm. Offenders with a permit must pay $50, and offenders with no permit must pay $150.

Outside the city limits, however, all offenders pay $150 on the third false alarm.

Another major difference between the city and county is the way law enforcement handles them.

Since Warnke came into office, it’s been his policy that deputies don’t respond to burglar alarms unless someone familiar with the residence is willing to meet them there.

“If a homeowner doesn’t think it’s important enough for them to respond, it’s not important enough for my deputies to respond,” Warnke said.

Part of it is a lack of resources and understaffing, but it’s also a matter of having someone on scene who is familiar with the property.

Warnke said that for those with alarm systems, they’ve entered into a contract between two private parties – the alarm company and the property owner.

The alarm system only tells the sheriff’s office that an electronic device is sending a signal. It doesn’t tell deputies that a crime is occurring, he said.

It’s important to have someone who is familiar with the property on scene when deputies arrive, Warnke said.

Homeowners, or someone close to them, know what’s normal or out of place at a residence.

Warnke also noted that no one wants deputies showing up to a home and pointing a gun at someone and the situation end up being a misunderstanding.

There’s a difference between burglar alarms and panic alarms, and deputies always respond to panic alarms, Warnke said.

“It’s not that we don’t want to go,” he said. “We want someone there. If someone is willing to meet us, we’ll go every time.”

So what if you decide to go out of town and your alarm sounds?

Warnke suggested designating a person to meet deputies at the property.

Personally, the sheriff said, he makes arrangements either with his daughter or a neighbor when he leaves town.

He recommended having that designated person come over and walk through the home to get to know it beforehand.

If you live outside the city limits and don’t have an alarm permit, visit the sheriff’s office website to download a permit application. Applications and payment can be processed at the sheriff’s office in Merced or mailed to Merced County Sheriff, Attention: Alarms, 2222 M St., Merced, CA 95340.

This story was originally published August 7, 2016 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Merced Mysteries & Minutiae: County alarm policies different than new Merced ones."