Alarm Reduction Unit
The Alarm Reduction Unit is located within the Gwinnett County Police Permits Unit suite. These units are located in the One Justice Square building near the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration building.
The address is:
446 W. Crogan Street, #200, Lawrenceville, GA 30043.
The hours of operation are AM hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00am - 11:30am.
PM hours: Monday – Thursday, 1:00pm - 4:30pm.
The office is closed from 11:30am -1:00pm daily.
Please note that payments brought in person will be accepted in the form of a CHECK ONLY.
False Alarms
False Alarms are more than an inconvenience; they take up time and energy of emergency personnel who may be needed to respond to a real emergency. The majority of alarm calls received by the Gwinnett County Police Department are false alarms, which may be avoided by proper maintenance of alarm systems, and a suitable response by the property owner once the alarm has sounded. Section 34-60 of the Gwinnett County Code of Ordinances provides for corrective administrative action for the purpose of reducing false alarm occurrences. This title covers burglary and robbery alarms in the jurisdiction of the Gwinnett County Police Department only. The following is a summary of the requirements of the title.
Alarm Registration
No user shall operate or cause to be operated, an alarm system at an alarm site, without a valid registration. A separate registration is required for each alarm site. This includes businesses, churches, residences, apartments, condominiums or anywhere an alarm system is used to provide security to a structure.
Registrations may be revoked it:
- The alarm user has had four or more false alarms in a calendar year
- The alarm user habitually fails to maintain the premises and alarm system in a manner that will minimize or eliminate false alarms
- Fails to respond or cause a representative to respond to the alarm site within 30 minutes when requested by Police Officers
- The alarm user fails to have the alarm system adjusted so that an audible alarm will sound for no longer than 15 minutes after being activated
- The alarm user fails to have the alarm system inspected after two false alarms in a calendar year. After four false alarms in a calendar year, the alarm user must have the alarm company modify the alarm to be more false alarm resistant
- There is a false statement of a material fact in the application for the alarm registration
Forms:
Alarm Users can complete the Alarm Registration Application/Renewal Application online, or a written application is available from the Alarm Administrator at 770.513.5117. There is no charge to register your alarm. However, operating an alarm system without valid registration could result in a $25 fee per activation should you have any false alarms.
What is a false alarm?
A false alarm is defined as any alarm activation that the responding officer determines that no criminal activity or attempted criminal activity has occurred.
Did you know?
- 99 percent of all alarm calls are false
- The majority of false alarms are caused by human error
- GCPD officers responded to 28,638 in 2015
- The number of true alarms was 254 in 2015
What false alarms do:
- Take police away from community policing activities and other real emergencies
- Lead neighbors to ignore the alarm when it goes off. The system becomes less reliable and less credible
- Gives the alarm user a false feeling of security since a malfunctioning alarm is not reliable
- False alarms create a potential danger to citizens and officers responding to the call
If a false alarm occurs:
- Do not call 911
- Stay off the telephone
- Carefully turn off (disarm) the alarm
- The alarm monitoring service should call immediately. If they do not call, call them
- Tell them that there was a false activation and give them the secret password. The alarm user will not be charged unless the officer arrives to the alarm location. Keep the verification, cancellation instructions and monitoring company phone numbers hidden, but accessible
To prevent false alarms:
- Secure all doors and windows before arming the system
- Be ready before arming the system. If you set the alarm and remember something, turn the alarm off, get what you forgot, and then re-arm the system
- Know the system and share that knowledge with those who need to know. If you give them the key to the property, then give them the code and instructions to operate the system
- If going out of town/country, inform your alarm company of an alternate contact for that time-frame.
- Make sure everyone in the home or business has manually operated the alarm system, knows any codes necessary, and understands what to do if any should accidentally activate
- Keep the system maintained. Change batteries once a year and keep sensors dust-free
- Make sure that rooms with motion sensors are free of pets, wind, party decorations, or anything else that can activate them by accident
- Test the alarm system at least once a month to confirm that it is in correct working order. If you have any doubts call the alarm company immediately for service. When testing the alarm do not forget to first notify the alarm monitoring company
What can I do to assist the police?
- Make sure the house or business numbers are easily visible from the street, day and night. If you have an address that is difficult to find, be sure to give specific driving directions to the alarm monitoring company
- Be sure the alarm company decal is located near the front door and is easily visible
- Have current list of at least two contacts on file with the police department
Police Response/Fines:
During a Calendar year the following fee structure will apply:
| · First Response: | No fine will be imposed. |
| · Second Response: | A $25 fee will be charged. |
| · Third Response: | A $50 fee will be charged. |
| · Fourth Response and | A $100 fee will be charged. The alarm registration could be revoked. |
**Note** Each Response is billed separately and the fees are not combined. Please return the invoice with the payment to ensure proper credit.
Alarm Administrator
770.513.5117 (Informational Recording Only)
AlarmRegistration@gwinnettcounty.com
Online Alarm Registration Application
