First of all, if you have an alarm system in your house or in your business, please take the five minutes required to become familiar with it.  I know that it is possible to become familiar with one's alarm system, because we have many houses and businesses in Brookfield with alarms that never go off by accident.  We also have a large number of homes and businesses with alarms that are accidentally set off on a regular basis.  I have responded to thousands and thousands of alarms in my career; every single one of them was a false alarm.  Most of the false alarms were due to eminently preventable reasons, such as leaving the motion sensor on when the dog is inside the house.  Or not giving your neighbor the code after asking him to come over and water the plants while you go on vacation.

False alarms are an enormous waste of time for both the police department and the fire department.  In Brookfield, your alarm system must be registered with the Town, and you are permitted one false alarm per year.  After the first one, you receive a nominal fine.  The fine is so small that it serves as absolutely no deterrent to the irresponsible use of one's alarm system.  If it was up to me, the fine would be so huge that homeowners and business owners would actually make an effort to ensure their alarm didn't go off unless there was an emergency.

Alarm systems can be a great deterrent to burglars.  I have a suspicion that posting a sign on your property indicating that you have an alarm system is just as much of a deterrent, but I don't really have proof of that.  It makes sense, though, doesn't it?