By Shelli DeRobertis
The San Bernardino County Sun
FONTANA, Calif. — In a battle to halt police plans to stop directly answering security alarms, a judge today is expected to decide whether to issue a temporary restraining order against implementing the new policy.
The Inland Empire Alarm Association, affiliated with 30 alarm companies in the area, is attempting to halt implementation of the Fontana Police Department's new verified response policy, scheduled to begin Monday.
Officers have been responding to residential and business security alarms for years, but the new policy requires the alarm or monitoring company to verify a need for assistance before police will respond, according to the Police Department.
The policy does not apply to manually activated panic, duress, medical alerts or robbery alarms, which will continue to be treated as high priority calls.
Fontana police Capt. Alan Hostetter said alarm companies have been using local law enforcement as their own private security agency.
"Verified response puts that responsibility back on the private owner and alarm company," he said.
At Tuesday's City Council meeting, Morgan Hertel, vice president of the Riverside-based alarm association, said the new police policy is in conflict with the city's own ordinances.
"This policy was put into effect without any input from us," Hertel said.
He said many alternatives to the verified response are available and that the association wishes to work with the Police Department.
Hertel later said that today's request for a restraining order against the policy is ultimately to "get this to a place where the community has input."
He said the policy cannot exist unless the city changes its laws.
"They have to take it to public comment to change it," he said.
Hostetter said the policy change was implemented internally at the Police Department.
"And we do not believe that an ordinance change is required," he said.
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