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Article: A Move to Reduce False Alarms; New Ordinance Requires Registration, Fines for Infractions
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- August 23, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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It seems an unlikely story, but a mechanical fish in a Frederick
County restaurant forced sheriff's deputies in 1999 to take three
wasted trips to Point of Rocks, a 20-minute drive from sheriff's
headquarters.
The fish, part of a Budweiser display that swung into motion every
time the restaurant's heater came on, set off a motion detector
connected to a burglar alarm. That forced deputies to investigate,
and it cost the sheriff's department about two hours of valuable
time.
The "fish call," as it is known among deputies, reflects a trend
that is costing the Frederick sheriff's office an estimated 3,500 man-
hours and $100,000 each year: too many false alarms to which deputies
must respond, ...