Homeowners must register alarm systems

Baltimore County police will begin enforcing next month a new law requiring homeowners to register their alarm systems and to pay fines for repeated false alarms, authorities said yesterday.

Starting July 1, homeowners whose systems produce repeated false alarms face the possibility of fines that rise from $50 to $1,000, county police said. Businesses have been covered by the law since December, leading to a decrease in false alarms and an increase in false-alarm calls that were canceled before police arrived.

The county law was passed after the rising popularity of alarm systems in homes and businesses brought a corresponding increase in false alarms. Law enforcement officials across the country say the false alarms pull police from crime-fighting responsibilities.