Chief’s Corner
By Chief Steven J. Wojnar Dudley Police Department Many residents may not be aware that all home and business burglar and fire alarms, currently in use here in the Town of Dudley, are required to be registered. Local by-law Chapter 117 is the regulation which governs alarm systems. This came into effect back in 1998. Since the renewal date for providing up to date information is nearing, I thought I would take this opportunity to remind everyone about the process. Police officers and firefighters respond to house alarms quite frequently. Even though many of these have been activated by accident or they have malfunctioned, responders treat them as if they are true emergencies. It is important to keep current contact information on file with public safety officials in the event of a problem. Section 3 of Chapter 117 of the Dudley by-laws, outlines the procedure for registering these alarms. It states, “Every alarm user shall submit to the Police Chief the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the user and at least two other persons who can be reached anytime, day or night, and who are authorized to respond to an emergency signal transmitted by an alarm system and who can open the premises wherein the alarm system is installed. The list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of the responders must be kept current at all times by the alarm user and shall be submitted during the first month of each fiscal year.” July first is the beginning of the new fiscal year, and this is the date when the information needs to be submitted. It is important to note that this by-law applies to audible, flashing, or monitored alarm systems designed for a police or fire response. Internal security cameras or doorbell alarms, that only alert the resident, homeowner, or private citizen, are not required to be registered. Please review Chapter 117 of the Dudley By-laws for further details. Penalties for violations are covered under Section Five. It provides for a fine of $25 for unregistered or late registered false alarms. In addition, $25.00 can be charged for each month where a homeowner is in non-compliance. |
This can be costly if not addressed. We certainly hope to use fines as a last resort and encourage everyone to voluntarily comply with the by-law. It is important to have current and accurate information for first responders. This helps to protect your property from damage, allows emergency services and family members to be contacted quickly, and limits the police and fire response in the event of a false alarm. Please take the time to stop by the station for a form, download one on-line via Facebook (“Dudley Police Department” @dudleymapolice), visit our web site www.dudleypolice.com, or simply provide the necessary information on a sheet of paper or via regular mail or email (listed below). Whichever way you choose to do this, we thank you in advance for your cooperation in this effort.
For those still seeking vaccination or COVID related information, it can be found at www.dudleyma.gov or by calling 508-949-8036. During these challenging times, we, at the Dudley Police Department, greatly appreciate the support we receive from our community. Thanks again for your questions and comments. Please send them to me at the Dudley Police Department 71 West Main St. Dudley, Ma. 01571 or email at swojnar@dudleypolice.com. Opinions expressed in this weekly column are those of Chief Wojnar only and unless clearly noted, do not reflect the ideas or opinions of any other organization or citizen. |
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