Question:

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Hi Ken....

    Indio California police started their Verified Response policy this week.  One of the provisions says.... "The Indio Police Department will file reports with the District Attorney against any alarm companies or monitoring companies that falsely report an intrusion alarm...... in violation of California Penal Code 148.3, a misdemeanor."

    Who would be charged, the monitoring person making the call or the company management? 

Thanks

Lee 

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Answer:

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    If the ordinance states that the reports will be filed against an alarm company or monitoring company, then at face value no particular employee will be named.  Keep in mind that at least from what you write the police or filing a report, not a complaint.  We will have to see how the District Attorney handles those reports. 

    It will also be instructive to find out what constitutes filing a "false" report.  Does that mean calling the police to report an alarm condition when no alarm signal has in fact been received?  [the only proper interpretation in my opinion]  Or does it mean calling in an alarm condition, which is responded to, and finding no evidence of any alarm condition? [which is how most police departments characterize a false alarm; a definition unfortunately accepted by too many in the alarm industry].