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Montgomery County Maryland Department of Police False Alarm Form

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County False Alarm Ordinance

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this article is to reduce the number of false alarms and thereby protect the public safety by minimizing unnecessary use of the county's limited enforcement resources.

This article governs burglary and robbery alarm systems, establishes service fees, and provides a system of administration.

Definitions

For the purposes of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

Alarm system: Any device or system which transmits a signal visibly, audibly, electronically, mechanically, or by any combination of these methods which indicates a hazard or occurrence requiring urgent attention and to which police are expected to respond. alarm system shall not include a personal, direct telephonic call requesting emergency services from a person at the premises in question.

Alarm use, user: The occupancy of the premises which are protected by the alarm system.

Answering service: A telephone answering service providing among its services the service of receiving on a continuous basis, through trained employees, emergency signals from alarm systems and thereafter immediately relaying the message by live voice to the public safety communications center of the county.

Automatic dialing device: A device which is interconnected to a telephone line and is programmed to select a predetermined telephone number and transmit by voice message or code signal an emergency message indicating a need for emergency response.

False alarm: Any alarm signal communicated to the county public safety communications center which is not reasonably believed to be in response to actual or threatened felonious criminal activity. False alarms include negligently activated signals; signals which are the result of faulty, malfunctioning or improperly installed or maintained equipment; and signals which are purposely activated to summon the police personnel in non-emergency situations. False alarms shall not include signals activated by unusually severe weather conditions or other causes which are identified by the chief of police or his designee to be beyond the control of the user.

Indirect alarm transmittal: Any security alarm system which does not directly terminate in the county public safety communications center but which causes a third party or answering service to notify the communications center of the alarm activation.

Installer: Any person who installs, services, monitors, sells or leases any security alarm system.

Interconnect: To connect an alarm system to a voice grade telephone line, either directly or through a mechanical device that utilizes a standard telephone, for the purpose of using the telephone line to transmit an emergency message upon the activation of the alarm system.

Negligently activated: The doing of an act where ordinary care suggests that the act should not have been done at all or that it should have been done in some other way.

Non-emergency

Any activation of an alarm resulting in a response by the division of police other than that purpose for which the system was designed, installed, and approved by the director of public safety or his designee.

Telephone Dial Alarm Systems Regulated

It shall be unlawful for any person to install, sell, lease, use, or cause or allow to be installed, sold, leased, or used, within the jurisdictional boundaries of the county, automatic telephone dialing devices or systems which are set or programmed to directly dial, actuate, call, or in any other manner, made direct contact with any telephone line or radio circuit of the county public safety communications center without the prior approval of the director of public safety or his designee.

Security Alarm User's Data Form

Upon installing a security alarm system, all users shall, on a form provided for that purpose, furnish the county public safety communications center with the following information:

Users with alarm systems installed before August 26, 1981, must comply with the requirements of this section within one hundred twenty (120) days of such date.

Duties of Security Alarm Users

It shall be the responsibility of security alarm users to instruct employees or others who may have occasion to activate an alarm that alarm systems are to be activated only in emergency situations to summon an immediate police response. Alarm users shall also instruct appropriate employees as to the operation of the alarm systems, including setting, activation, and resetting of the alarm. All instructions pertaining to alarm systems and procedures shall be in written form, suitable for distribution to employees, and shall be available for maintaining the security system in proper working order.

Deliberate False Alarms

It shall be unlawful for any person to deliberately and without just cause activate an alarm system to summon the county division of police in a non-emergency situation. Nothing herein contained shall apply to the periodic testing of direct transmittal alarms when sufficient notice is given to the communications supervisor(s) of the county division of police.

Service Fees, Termination of Response, and Reinstatement of Service

Schedule of fees: The second through sixth false alarm originating from any premises within a 160-day period will result in the appropriate service fee being imposed upon the alarm user, which must be paid within thirty (30) days after billing. The service fee shall be imposed in accord with the following schedule:

Schedule of Fees

Second false alarm

Third false alarm

Fourth false alarm

Fifth false alarm

Sixth false alarm

Termination of response

The seventh false alarm originating from any premises in a 160-day period will result in the alarm user being notified by the director of public safety or his designee that all emergency response by the division of police, based on alarm activation, shall cease upon receipt of the written notice.

Reinstatement of service

Any service which has been discontinued shall not be reinstated until it has been inspected by an alarm company licensed to do business in the sate, which shall certify that the system has been repaired and is now found to be in a reliable status. In the event the false alarm occurred through human negligence rather than mechanical failure, reinstatement shall not be permitted until the user, its employees, and all others having access to the system have completed a training program satisfactory to the director of public safety or his designee. In addition to such written certification to the director of public safety or his designee, a reinstatement fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00), payable to the County of , must accompany the request for reinstatement. The inspection, repair, and recertification of any alarm system shall be accomplished at the alarm user's expense.

Exceptions

The service and reinstatement fees of this chapter shall not be applied to any alarm system used, operated, or installed in any premises or place owned, leased, occupied, or under the control of the United States government, the state or any of its political subdivisions, nor to the county or its school board or any officer, agent, or employee of the aforesaid governmental agencies while acting or employed in their official capacity. All other requirements, including termination of service, shall apply.

Payment of Fees

The chief of police shall certify to the director of finance the name of the user, the address from which alarms subject to penalty emanated, and the amount due the county on the last day of each month. The director of finance shall cause billing to be sent and shall in turn notify the chief of police when any account is more than thirty (30) days in arrears. any account more than thirty (30) days in arrears shall be subject to a termination of response and the reinstatement fee specified above must be remitted before service is restored.

Penalties

Any person who installs, sells, leases, or utilizes an alarm system in violation of this section shall be punished in accord with the provisions of Section of the County Code.

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What the Montgomery County Maryland Department of Police False Alarm Form Is

The Montgomery County Maryland Department of Police False Alarm Form is a municipal reporting document used to record and certify false alarm incidents for police dispatches. It documents the alarm location, alarm type, date and time of activation, and contact details for property managers or alarm companies. Agencies use the form to track repeat activations, assess potential fees or fines, and maintain incident statistics. Completing this form accurately helps ensure correct recordkeeping with county police and supports any appeals or administrative review related to alarm billing.

Why completing this form matters

Accurate submission clarifies the cause of an alarm response, supports appeals of billing or fines, and helps the Montgomery County Police manage resources and reduce unnecessary dispatches. Proper documentation preserves records for compliance and potential disputes.

Why completing this form matters

Who typically completes the false alarm form

The form is most often completed by property owners, alarm company representatives, and property managers following a police response to an alarm.

  • Property owners or tenants reporting the incident and authorizing the statement about the alarm
  • Alarm monitoring companies or technicians documenting cause and corrective action taken
  • Property managers or on-site staff confirming access details and incident context for the police

Providing complete contact and incident details ensures the department can process the report and update its case records without follow-up delays.

Step-by-step: filling out the Montgomery County false alarm form

Follow the sequence below to complete the form accurately and reduce processing delays.

  • 01
    Identify incident: Enter the alarm date, time, and dispatch number if provided.
  • 02
    Provide location: List full street address, suite number, city, and ZIP code.
  • 03
    Describe cause: Explain why the alarm activated and corrective measures taken.
  • 04
    Sign and date: Authorized party signs, prints name, and date for verification.

Configuring a digital workflow for the false alarm form

When digitizing the form, set required fields, validation rules, and routing to match county submission and internal review steps.

Field | Configuration Required | Single-line validation
Alarm Date and Time Field MM/DD/YYYY | time picker
Address Field Street, city, state, ZIP | autocomplete
Signature Field Signer required | Date stamp
Routing Logic Submit to police records and internal facilities team

Where to submit the completed form

Understand the typical routing so you send the form to the correct Montgomery County Police unit or municipal mailbox.

  • Police Records: Submit completed form to the county police records or alarm coordinator.
  • Online Portal: If available, use the county's electronic submission portal for faster processing.
  • Email Submission: Send a scanned signed form to the designated department email when allowed.
  • Hard Copy: Deliver or mail the signed paper form to the listed county address if required.

Digital submission and eSignature requirements

If submitting electronically, confirm the county accepts scanned or e-signed forms and which authentication method they require.

  • File formats: PDF is preferred for long-term records.
  • Signature evidence: Include timestamp and signer name.
  • Authentication: Email verification or two-factor if the county requests it.

Timing: when to file your report

Observe local submission deadlines and any appeal windows specified by Montgomery County to preserve fee dispute rights.

Report promptly:

Submit the form as soon as possible after the alarm response, typically within 7–30 days.

Appeal window:

Check county rules; many jurisdictions require appeals within 30 days of billing.

Record retention:

Keep copies until statute of limitations and appeal periods expire.

RON or notary timing:

If notarization is required, schedule promptly to meet deadlines.

Follow-up response:

Expect administrative review within several weeks after submission.

Key processing milestones after submission

Typical processing moves from intake through verification to final disposition; times vary with municipal workload and staffing.

01

Intake and logging

Form is received and logged into police records; acknowledgment may be issued.

02

Verification step

Records staff compare your report to dispatch logs and evidence.

03

Fee assessment

If applicable, the county issues invoicing or fines based on verification.

04

Appeal or closure

Disputes are reviewed; final disposition recorded in case file.

Common preparation pitfalls to avoid

  • Incomplete addresses or missing dispatch numbers that prevent matching your form to the correct police response and delay processing
  • Vague cause descriptions such as 'equipment issue' without detail, making it harder to qualify for fee waivers or preventive recommendations
  • Unsigned or undated forms that municipal staff cannot accept, leading to rejection or the need to resubmit a notarized statement
  • Using non-preferred file formats or low-resolution scans that obscure timestamps or police-stamped dispatch numbers

Potential penalties and administrative risks

False alarm fines: County may assess fees
Repeat activation fees: Escalating charges for multiple incidents
Billing disputes: Late appeals risk denial
Enforcement action: Persistent issues can trigger compliance orders
Service termination: Alarm company could suspend monitoring
Record impact: Local compliance records may affect insurance

Security and privacy details to note

Personal data: Name and contact
Location data: Full address
Incident details: Date and time
Alarm company: Provider contact
Signatures: Authorized party
Retention flag: Records kept per policy

Essential elements of a complete false alarm report

A professional submission contains clear identification, an incident narrative, authorization, and attached evidence when available.

Dispatch number

Include the police dispatch or case number to ensure your report can be associated directly with the officer response and related records.

Precise address

Provide a full street address, unit number, city, and ZIP to avoid misrouting and ensure the response record matches the correct property.

Detailed cause

Explain the specific trigger for the alarm, any human error, and corrective steps taken to support requests for fee reductions or waivers.

Monitoring company

List the alarm vendor, contact details, and technician actions taken; this documents professional intervention and repairs performed.

Authorized signature

A responsible party must sign and date the form to attest to the accuracy of the information for administrative review.

Attachments

Attach photos, technician reports, or monitoring logs that corroborate the incident timeline and reason for the false alarm.

eSignature vendor comparison for submitting and signing municipal forms

Below is a concise pricing and capability comparison with signNow listed first for reference; select a vendor whose compliance and cost profile matches your municipal requirements.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial, no credit card No No Yes, limited Yes, limited
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No
Envelope Cap No cap 100 envelopes/user/year Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan

Real-world examples of digital form use for incident reporting

These short case sketches show how organizations used digital signatures and structured forms to manage alarm incident reporting and follow-up.

Optica Ventures

The property manager digitized false alarm reports to reduce processing backlogs and ensure consistent entries.

  • Implementation included required fields and automated routing to police records.
  • After deployment the team reported fewer follow-ups, faster appeals, and clearer evidence when contesting municipal fees with Montgomery County authorities.

Martin Properties

A regional landlord standardized the false alarm form across multiple properties to capture technician reports with each incident.

  • Signatures and timestamps were enforced.
  • The consolidated records simplified communications with the alarm vendor, improved preventive maintenance scheduling, and supported more successful fee waiver requests.

Frequently asked questions about the Montgomery County false alarm form

Answers focus on submission, legal validity, signatures, and recordkeeping to reduce uncertainty and avoid common rejections.


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