EPD Chief Growls at the ‘Boy Who Cried Wolf’

Chief Andrew Mills

Chief Andrew Mills from his Twitter account

In a post on the Eureka Police blog today, Chief Mills scolds businesses that are overusing their panic alarms including one business which sent in 24 false alarms last year. He wrote,

False panic alarms are problematic. EPD responded to 137 panic alarms in the last year. Of the 137 panic alarms, EPD took 5 reports so 132 of the alarms were false or accidental. In other words 96.4% of all panic alarms were false.  EPD dispatches three officers to each panic alarm as it is an emergency call for service. Panic alarms, often called stick up alarms, are for things like armed robbery or violence in progress.

Of the false panic alarms in Eureka, 19 business accounted for 54% of all false alarms. According to Community Development Director, Rob Holmlund, there are about 2,267 businesses with a permit in Eureka. Of those 25% are home businesses and 80% have five or fewer employees (450 businesses).  That leaves 450 +/- businesses with five or more employees.  Based on those numbers 4.3% of all businesses are responsible for 54% of false panic alarms.  So…what are we going to do about it?

  • EPD will continue to respond to panic and burglar alarms.
  • EPD is working with the City to reform and clean up the false alarm ordinance.
  • EPD is writing a letter to the abusers of the panic alarm system and suggesting they fix the problem: install covers, color for recognition, move the alarm button to secure location, two step trigger, or discipline employees who abuse the alarm.

So when the boy who cried wolf too many times screams help when the wolf truly at the door, EPD wants you to know we are still coming code 3.  You need to know you are hurting yourself and this fabulous community.

So the business with a record 24 false alarms (18% of the total)…lets fix the problem.

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Yay
Guest
Yay
7 years ago

Maybe if your officers can get to a call in less than an hour people wouldn’t feel the need to use a panic alarm. Police the streets Mills, stop going after law abiding citizens with your chickenshit tickets.

CnD
Guest
CnD
7 years ago
Reply to  Yay

Law enforcement. They enforce laws, “Yay.” That’s what they do. If you had respect for other people, there wouldn’t be a need for so many laws. Since you chose to disregard at least 1 law and got a ticket, you aren’t a law abiding citizen. You are probably one of those business owners abusing the panic alarm. You are part of the problem, not the solution.

Bronco
Guest
Bronco
7 years ago
Reply to  Yay

If you’d stop screwing up, maybe you wouldn’t get so many tickets chickenshit . . . or otherwise.

And ‘one hour’ response times? Maybe if you didn’t live in East Bumblefuck, you’d get the service you feel entitled to receive. Then you could just bitch about the taxes you pay. I called in a burglary in progress in Old Town (on someone else’s place), and the response time was <5 minutes.

whowza
Guest
whowza
7 years ago
Reply to  Bronco

No doubt, eurekas not the boonies, if you lived out of town you’d see some serious wait times, if the cops decide to come at all that is. This article is about eureka and the epd, not the county sheriff’s tho.

It sounds like not only have these buttons been pushed when no real crime is happening but also by mistake entirely which wastes police time and taxpayer money. If you abuse the system you should pay for it, literally. If you can’t handle taking matters into your own hands at your own biz then you prob shouldn’t own/work at one. The awesome lady shop owners who took down (literally) that thieving lady & put EPD to shame can tell you all about what it takes these days.

If the biz’s continue this behaviour then I think we get to know who they are by name so we can support/not support them, or they should be fined after 3rd false alarm. Isn’t that what happens if you call 911 with fake emergencies?

FORG
Guest
FORG
7 years ago

Hmmm…”law abiding citizens with your chickenshit tickets” seems like an oxymoron. Just consider that ticket a notice that for the other ten times you sped or drove stupidly, here’s your sign.

Bob Harris
Guest
Bob Harris
7 years ago

Yay, you sound like real highly educated piece of work. At least I’ll print my name.

Robert
Guest
Robert
7 years ago

Everyone knows epd are donut lovers on withdrawal, say what you want nothing can change that. If they would go after real crime they would want a raise, I love the fact they have the right to refuse a drug test.
Now that’s telling

Robert
Guest
Robert
7 years ago

Ticket writing punks with a gun, they prove it every time they open there pig snout

Robert
Guest
Robert
7 years ago

My grandpappy always told me ifn they try to give me a ticket I ain’t deservin just take that stick they like to beet folks with and screw him with it, grandpappy always told me they like that and will let me go after I’m all done

Neighbor
Guest
Neighbor
7 years ago

Robert’s Rules of Disorder…