By Chief Steven J. Wojnar

Dudley Police Department

Many residents may not be aware that all home and business burglar and fire alarms currently in use here in the town of Dudley are required to be registered.

Local bylaw Chapter 117 is the regulation that governs alarm systems. This took effect back in 1998. Since the date for providing current information on these devices is nearing, I thought I would take this opportunity to remind everyone about the process.

Police officers and firefighters respond to house alarms quite frequently. Even though many of these have been activated accidentally or because of malfunction, responders treat them as if they are true emergencies. It is important to keep current contact info on file with public-safety officers in the event of a problem.

Section 3 of Chapter 117 of the Dudley bylaws outlines the procedure for registering these alarms. It reads “every alarm users shall submit to the police chief the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the user and at least two other persons who can be reached anytime, day or night, and who are authorized to respond to an emergency signal transmitted by an alarm system and who can open the premises where the alarm system is installed. The list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of the responders must be kept current at all times by the alarm user and shall be submitted ruing the first month of each fiscal year.”

July 1st is the beginning of the fiscal year and this is the date when information needs to be submitted. It is important to note that this bylaw applies to audible, flashing or monitored alarm systems designed for a police of fire response. Internal security cameras or doorbell alarms that only alert the resident, homeowner or private citizen are not required to be registered.

Please review Chapter 117 of the Dudley bylaws for further details.

Penalties for violations are covered under Section Five. It provides for a fine of $25 for unregistered or late-registered fire alarms. In addition, $25 can be charged for each month in which a homeowner is in noncompliance. This can be costly if not addressed. We certainly hope to use fines as a last resort ad we encourage everyone to voluntarily comply with the bylaw. It is important to have current and accurate information for first responders. This helps to protect your property from damage, allows emergency services and family members to be notified quickly, and limits the police and fire response in the event of a false alarm.

Please take the time to stop by the station for a form, or download one online via Facebook (“Dudley Police Department”@dudleyma.police). Visit our website, www.dudleypolice.com, or simply provide the necessary information on a sheet of paper or via regular mail or email (listed below).

Whichever way you choose to do this, we thank you in advance for your cooperation in this effort.

For those still seeking vaccinations or Covid-related information, it can be found at www.dudleyma.gov or by calling 508-949-8036. During these challenging times, we at the Dudley Police Department appreciate the support we receive from the community.

Thanks again for your comments. Please send them to me at the Dudley Police Department, 71 West Main St., Dudley MA 01571 or email [email protected].

Online expressions in this column are those of Chief Wojnar only and unless clearly noted do no reflect the ideas or opinions of any other organization or citizen.