Appeal Guidelines

Prince George's County Burglar and Holdup Legislation, Sections 9-130 to 141, defines a "False Alarm" as any request for immediate police department assistance that is not in response to actual or threatened criminal activity or activation of an alarm system which results in an emergency response by the police to an alarm site for which the responding police officer finds no evidence of a criminal offense or attempted criminal offense at the alarm site.

Appeals will not be granted for false alarms that are the result of:

• Faulty, defective or malfunctioning equipment supplied by the alarm business.
• Improperly installing or maintaining by the alarm business.
• Improper monitoring by the alarm business.
• An occurrence where no evidence of criminal activity is present.
• Mistakes made by private contractors, maids, cleaning crews.
• Alarm activations, which occur while alarm technicians are repairing or servicing the alarm system.
• Items within the home or business, which move and cause, motion detectors to activate, i.e. curtains, signs, and balloons.
• Glass break detectors that activate due to noises/sound other that actual glass breakage.
• Doors and/or windows that become loose and cause a break in the contacts that activates the alarm.
• Caretakers who watch homes or businesses when owners are away.
• Pets, rodents, and wildlife.
• Alarms caused by apartment management employees.

For more information call the Prince George's County False Alarm Unit at 855-809-2056