RICHLAND, Wash. – The City of Richland is considering a false alarms ordinance in response to calls that are draining resources and delaying emergency response, a city council workshop report said.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), between 94 and 98 percent of alarm calls are false.
The city council workshop report aligns with the DOJ study, showing that more than 97 percent of 1,459 alarm calls in Richland from August 2023 to July 2024 were false.
City leaders have already discussed the idea of a proposed ordinance aimed at improving alarm system reliability and reducing the waste of city resources.
The Richland City Council plans to discuss the matter further during its Tuesday, June 24 workshop meeting. They want to delve into staff recommendations that distinguish between commercial and residential properties and to weigh cost recovery against punitive measures.
The council may also consider a threshold where police might stop responding to alarm notifications after repeated false alarms.
In a related move, the Kennewick Fire Department (KFD) is also tackling false alarms. In 2024, KFD responded to 237 commercial fire alarms, often due to improper maintenance. To address this, they approved a new fine system for businesses with recurring false alarms.
