LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – The Lubbock City Council reversed a decision made last month to change the city’s false alarm ordinance, following public outcry. That revision required all home and business owners with a third-party monitored alarm system to pay for an annual permit.
Council members apologized for what they called a mistake during Tuesday’s meeting and voted to repeal the revised ordinance, reverting to the previous policy that only fines repeat offenders for calling officers to non-emergencies.
“Council made a mistake in passing this ordinance. We need to today acknowledge it, apologize to the community and fix our mistake,” District 3 Councilman David Glasheen said.
Community members expressed their frustration with the ordinance change both on social media and in person at the council meeting, asking council to repeal it.
“I’m ashamed of you,” resident Clint Overland said. “At least say it’s a money grab.”
Assistant Police Chief Neal Barron explained the ordinance was intended to reduce officers being sent to false alarms.
“That’s our main goal in all of this, is to provide a better response to citizens for the high priority calls where life is in danger,” Barron said.
Barron said officers spent more than 5,000 hours responding to false alarms last year, costing the city more than $180,000 in officer pay.
Overland suggested charging alarm companies instead of residents.
“I understand that the PD are overwhelmed with these false alarms, well then let’s start charging ADT and all these other corporations that are monitoring them and are supposed to be upkeeping them, instead of the citizenry,” Overland said.
Glasheen said the decision was ultimately the council’s responsibility, but he criticized city staff for how they presented the ordinance change to them.
“I have to say that the briefing was inadequate. In fact, it was to the point that the briefing was misleading about the content and scope and intentions of the ordinance,” Glasheen said.
Under the reinstated ordinance, home and business owners with third-party monitored alarm systems do not need a city permit until after their third false burglary alarm or first false robbery alarm in a year.
Fines and fees from last year brought nearly $149,000 to the city.
“We’re collecting quite a bit of money as it is with the false alarms, and they’re still going off. And we’re talking, you know, 10 plus times false alarms for these repeat offenders,” District 4 Councilman Brayden Rose said.
Council members said they want to revisit the problem with all members and the mayor involved in future discussions.
“We want to make sure that the responses and the efforts that our Lubbock Police Department make are understood, appreciated, and going to be effective,” District 6 Councilman Tim Collins said.
Resident Tonya Jernberg said she’ll be at those future talks, but she was satisfied with the council’s response.
“I give the council a lot of credit for being accountable and accepting responsibility,” Jernberg said.
District 1 Councilwoman Christy Martinez-Garcia said she was glad citizens were being engaged and getting involved.
“We want to make sure that we’re listening and we hear you. If you don’t believe that we didn’t listen, I think it’s evident,” she said.
The city received 292 permits during the few weeks the revised ordinance was in place. A city spokesperson said they are working out details on if those permit holders will receive refunds.
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