Pinellas Park revises false‑alarm fees and thresholds to reduce repeated emergency responses

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to change the city’s false‑alarm ordinance after staff said false alarms consume significant police and fire resources.

Community Compliance Supervisor Carrie Moss told the council that from Jan. 1 through Oct. 31 the police department logged 1,545 false alarms — roughly 5% of its calls for service — and the fire department received 225 false‑alarm calls in 2024, about 13% of its total calls. Moss described the city’s current process for invoicing and collections and said staff reviews every reported alarm to confirm it is not a weather, school or government alarm before billing.

Under the amendment, properties will have three free false alarms per calendar year (Jan. 1–Dec. 31). The fourth alarm in a year will trigger a $50 fee; the fifth will be $100; the sixth and any following alarms in the same year will be $250 each. Moss also proposed raising the late‑payment fee to $50. Staff requested a Jan. 1 effective date to align with a calendar year tally.

Moss said staff can work with businesses that show they have contacted an alarm vendor or are actively addressing the problem; in some instances the staff will waive late fees when appropriate.

The ordinance (second and final reading) passed unanimously on Granicus.