Police to Public: Bug Us Too Often, Expect a Bill
Tuesday, January 22, 2008

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska —  Anchorage police have begun sending bills to people if officers have to make more than eight trips per year to their homes.

The first homeowner to be billed under a law that allows police to charge people got a tab for $23,000 last week.

Police have been called to the home dozens of times since last summer and 10 times so far this year, they said.

An ordinance that took effect in 2002 calls for taxpayers to pay for the first eight police responses to a home in a year. After that, the homeowner may be charged $500 per visit, what police estimate it costs to pay officers and maintain equipment for a single call.

"We're trying to tell homeowners that if you're having an excessive amount of calls to your residence, you need to take responsibility for those calls," said Anchorage police Sgt. Denny Allen. "We're not encouraging people not to call the police for valid reasons."

Some problem homes are getting 90 or more calls a year, he said.

Police did not begin enforcing the ordinance until last summer. Getting police to do so was "like changing a battleship in midcourse," said Assemblyman Allan Tesche, who sponsored the law.

"The intent was to give the police an extra tool to be used against crack houses, drug houses and general public nuisances that are generating an inordinate number of police calls," Tesche said. "At some point, a city can and should start charging for overuse of its police department."

The ordinance does not affect businesses and excludes calls for medical emergencies and domestic violence. False alarms and receipts of false information do not count against a homeowner unless the reports were initiated by the owner or an occupant.

For rental properties, the owner is responsible for either controlling the tenants, evicting them or paying the bill, Tesche said. The police will first send a letter alerting the owner that fees are pending. The owner then has 30 days to correct the situation and halt the calls. After that, they'll get the bill.

At the Airport Heights home that was billed $23,000, calls were routinely for drugs, alcohol and disturbances, Allen said. Neighbors reported cars coming at all hours of night, with arguments in the yard and drunks urinating in the road.

Police sent the homeowner, Tammy Lynn Miller, 40, a warning notice in August. The calls for service persisted and on Thursday the city sent her the bill, Allen said.

Miller was arrested last week on charges of theft and forgery.

Her home is now boarded up being seized by the bank, Allen said. If she can't pay the city's bill, the ordinance calls for liens to be placed against the home until the city collects.

"We don't care if you pay it, we're going to get that money somehow," he said.

One other warning letter has been sent so far, Allen said. About a half dozen other homeowners being eyed as violators may have to clean up their acts or pay.

The intent of the law is that some offenders, including renters, will get the message that they will be penalized for their behavior and will get tired of moving or paying the bills, Tesche said.

"If you make it hard for people to stay, you're sending a message that you're going after them," he said. "It's not solving the problem, but it's helping."


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,324650,00.html


Interesting.

I've had zero trips to my house in the last year, yet I've paid taxes.  Guess its time to mail them a rebate form.

It's begging for a court challenge...one that the city will probably lose.

Not a horrible tool in my opinion. Gives them one more tool to shut down problems....and remove problem residents and allow those residences to be occupied by law abiding citizens.

Quoted: I've had zero trips to my house in the last year, yet I've paid taxes.  Guess its time to mail them a rebate form.

same here. i'd like to know what my lifetime lack-of-police-useage refund will look like too.

Quoted: I've had zero trips to my house in the last year, yet I've paid taxes.  Guess its time to mail them a rebate form.

I've never called the cops because I needed their help.

Can I have my "protection" money back?

So they want more money to do their jobs?  Let's say I have a pissed off neighbor that calls the cops on me for minor crap.  Should I get a fine?  

Our town has a similar ordinance with nuisance bars. Each time the police are called to the bar to break up a fight the owner of the bar is fined $500.

Quoted: I've had zero trips to my house in the last year, yet I've paid taxes.  Guess its time to mail them a rebate form.

8 trips alloted times $500 per trip.  Expect $4000 back I suppose.

But seriously, you have to understand their point.  To actually have to go out and try to help people, well, that cuts into doughnut time and time that could be better spent writing traffic tickets.  I mean geez, not like going on a call to someone's house brings in any money (unless we can find something we can ticket you for there).  And isn't that the purpose of the police, nothing more than a way of gaining more revenue for the state.  So lets see, that old saying "to protect and serve", well we sure as hell can't  protect you, and now, well we are not going to serve you either (unless we can bill you for it on top of the taxes you already pay).

typical.

Quoted: Our town has a similar ordinance with nuisance bars. Each time the police are called to the bar to break up a fight the owner of the bar is fined $500.

Bar owner should charge the cops for giving them a revenue generating lead.

Quoted: It's begging for a court challenge...one that the city will probably lose.

Doubtful. EMS charges for runs in many cities, Most P.D.'s charge for false inrtrusion alarms. I see no problem with charging people who abuse police services. Of course, only those who can afford to pay will be forced to pay. Ironically, those are the people who rarely call the police.  

Quoted: Quoted: I've had zero trips to my house in the last year, yet I've paid taxes.  Guess its time to mail them a rebate form. 8 trips alloted times $500 per trip.  Expect $4000 back I suppose. But seriously, you have to understand their point.  To actually have to go out and try to help people, well, that cuts into doughnut time and time that could be better spent writing traffic tickets.  I mean geez, not like going on a call to someone's house brings in any money (unless we can find something we can ticket you for there).  And isn't that the purpose of the police, nothing more than a way of gaining more revenue for the state.  So lets see, that old saying "to protect and serve", well we sure as hell can't  protect you, and now, well we are not going to serve you either (unless we can bill you for it on top of the taxes you already pay). typical.

For real issues, no issues. To help raise your kids, make your husband cut the grass, your live in BF to do the dishes, etc. These are not calls LEA should be answering.

Quoted: So they want more money to do their jobs?  Let's say I have a pissed off neighbor that calls the cops on me for minor crap.  Should I get a fine?

Your neighbor gets the bill.

Quoted: Our town has a similar ordinance with nuisance bars. Each time the police are called to the bar to break up a fight the owner of the bar is fined $500.

B'ham does the same for hotel/motels.

Quoted: Quoted: Our town has a similar ordinance with nuisance bars. Each time the police are called to the bar to break up a fight the owner of the bar is fined $500. B'ham does the same for hotel/motels.

Got any good stories? Screaming and moaning being mis-interpreted and the like?

ETA: Hotel Sex FTW and I'd hate for it to be interupted.

Quoted: For rental properties, the owner is responsible for either controlling the tenants, evicting them or paying the bill, Tesche said. The police will first send a letter alerting the owner that fees are pending. The owner then has 30 days to correct the situation and halt the calls. After that, they'll get the bill.

Still digesting the rest, but THAT is BULLSHIT!

"We don't care if you pay it, we're going to get that money somehow," he said.

Unbelievable.



I wonder what the police reaction will be when people start taking the law into their own hands?

As an Anchorage taxpayer, I'm happy to see the change in policy.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Our town has a similar ordinance with nuisance bars. Each time the police are called to the bar to break up a fight the owner of the bar is fined $500. B'ham does the same for hotel/motels. Got any good stories? Screaming and moaning being mis-interpreted and the like? ETA: Hotel Sex FTW and I'd hate for it to be interupted.

Yes hotel sex FTW.

It was enacted to deal with all the prostitutes and drug dealing.

I can see its use...  Personally i don't think its a bad idea...  as was stated people call the police for all sorts of rubbish that is non-emergency. They are not mediators of stupidity.

Myself... i do not call them unless there is a body involved, then its for the removal.
Do I expect a refund....  not in this lifetime.

Quoted: As an Anchorage taxpayer, I'm happy to see the change in policy.

will taxes drop because of this?  or are they just keeping that extra amount?


it doesn't smell right to me. i have not made up my mind on it yet, but it does seem to be a slippery slope.

I think it's a great idea. I used to live next to this woman that had the cops at her place every other day. It was either she heard a weird noise, someone called her kid a name, or someone's music was too loud. She once called the cops on my son for running into her car with bike (no damage). If she was charged for the calls maybe I could have gone through a whole week without having to see flashing lights in front of my house.

If it goes into the city treasury, then by all means the taxes should go down

Quoted: Quoted: As an Anchorage taxpayer, I'm happy to see the change in policy. will taxes drop because of this?  or are they just keeping that extra amount? it doesn't smell right to me. i have not made up my mind on it yet, but it does seem to be a slippery slope.

Quoted: If it goes into the city treasury, then by all means the taxes should go down

Quoted: I think it's a great idea. I used to live next to this woman that had the cops at her place every other day. It was either she heard a weird noise, someone called her kid a name, or someone's music was too loud. She once called the cops on my son for running into her car with bike (no damage). If she was charged for the calls maybe I could have gone through a whole week without having to see flashing lights in front of my house.

We finally ran the chronic cop calling bitch out of our neighborhood. Took about a year but the hag is gone now.

Amazing what you can do within the law to drive people nuts and incent them to gtfo.

Quoted: Quoted: For rental properties, the owner is responsible for either controlling the tenants, evicting them or paying the bill, Tesche said. The police will first send a letter alerting the owner that fees are pending. The owner then has 30 days to correct the situation and halt the calls. After that, they'll get the bill. Still digesting the rest, but THAT is BULLSHIT!

Yes, yes it is.  Obviously the asshole who uttered that has not actually had to try to "control" tenants or evict them.

Listen,

we have had a situation in my city just like this.
There is a "family" in the low-rent area whose kid supposedly calls 911 every other day. Apparently the police/fire have to respond to all calls regardless? Well it became a news story somehow, due to the nuisance. I believe they threatened to take action towards holding the family responsible for the acts of their delinquent.

I support that.

If police/fire are responding to the daily delinquent's prank call, then they may be valuable seconds late responding to someone else burning alive. 911 is not a toy or a funny game, they are also not marriage councilors and people often use them as such.

How many times have you heard of battered women letting the piece of shit boyfriend back into the house, while the fuckin restraining order she signed a week ago still stands?  What the fuck does the dumb bitch expect to happen next? Yet, she expects the police will come extract the asshole after she gives him the pie, like some sort of retard babysitters, time after time.

I want cops out there cracking crime, not being social dysfunction nannies.
For that reason, if you abuse the police, you should be responsible.
How else can we force people to take 911 seriously?

People get all sorts of bent out of shape because the liberals dictate we can't discipline our kids, this seems to me like the same thing.. disciplining big kids who don't seem to learn by any other means. You've got to make it sink in somehow.

Quoted: Listen, we have had a situation in my city just like this. There is a "family" in the low-rent area whose kid supposedly calls 911 every other day. Apparently the police/fire have to respond to all calls regardless? Well it became a news story somehow, due to the nuisance. I believe they threatened to take action towards holding the family responsible for the acts of their delinquent. I support that.

I'm not all against it either, but there are some points that are troubling.  Having worked with my mother renting in the city I have a problem with the part where a tenant that gets the cops called on him too many times costs the landlord.  It's not as simple to get a person out as some think.  Hell, you can't get them out when they don't pay rent for months, much less because you think they are not nice people.  Then of course you get to clean up the retaliatory mess they leave on the way out when they are finally evicted.