Atlanta Residents, Businesses Must Register Alarms

Businesses and residents in Atlanta, Ga., will soon be required to register any security or burglar alarm systems they have installed.

Atlanta police said in a statement that officers responded to 65,000 alarm system calls last year. Police say 95 percent of those were false alarms or were canceled while officers were on their way.

Police say those false or aborted calls accounted represent more than 6 percent of total 911 dispatches.

In response, the city has revamped its existing False Alarm Ordinance. The new rules take effect Sept. 15 and require that alarm systems be registered by phone or online by Feb. 1.

Penalties include a $150 fine for failing to register an alarm. The first false alarm gets a warning, while the second will result in a $50 fine.