Burglar-alarm policy prompts call to arms

[FWiedner]

ORIGINALLY POSTED BY MEMBER iiibbb

FREMONT
Burglar-alarm policy prompts call to arms
Resident urges purchase of guns, mayoral recall

Janine DeFao, Chronicle Staff Writer

With his city's police force poised to become the first in California to stop responding to most burglar alarms, Fremont insurance salesman Dennis Wolfe is urging his fellow citizens to arm themselves.

"I absolutely believe everybody should own a gun in Fremont now," Wolfe said Thursday. "If the police aren't going to protect us, we have to protect ourselves."

Wolfe, 52, said he has been deluged with support since he began distributing a series of letters and flyers earlier this week urging residents to obtain permits to carry concealed weapons, suggesting how to shoot an intruder and have it ruled self-defense, and calling for a recall of Mayor Bob Wasserman if he doesn't rescind the policy, which takes effect Feb 18.

Wasserman has battled Wolfe before over the city's proposed utility tax, rejected by voters in November.

"Mr. Wolfe has a long history of being opportunistic and taking advantage of anything that might be a controversy to spread his venom," Wasserman said.

Fremont Police Chief Craig Steckler announced the policy last month, saying more than 98 percent of Fremont's 7,000 annual alarm calls turn out to be false alarms. That costs $600,000 in staffing, tying up police officers who could be dealing with other crimes, he said.

Under the new plan, officers will respond only to alarms that have been verified by a witness or surveillance system.

Police spokesman Detective Bill Veteran called Wolfe's suggestions "absolutely ridiculous."

The new policy did not require City Council approval, but Wasserman, a former Fremont police chief, said he supports it.

"In my 40 years in law enforcement, I've never seen a burglar caught as a result of a residential alarm," said Wasserman, who led the department from 1976 to 1992.

The decision has not been popular with residents and business owners, but Fremont Chamber of Commerce President Cindy Bonior said Wolfe's call to arms goes too far.

"I would hate to see us become a gun-toting community," she said. "I think that would be a bigger threat to security than not responding to alarms."

The chamber is suggesting businesses may want to upgrade their alarm services to have alarm verification added.

Even Fremont gun shop owner Martin MacDonald -- whose Irvington Arms was burglarized soon after the policy was publicized -- disagrees with Wolfe.

While he said he would love the added business, "if someone isn't of the mind-set to actually go through with it, having a gun in the house is not necessarily a good idea."

He said some people say they want a gun just to scare somebody but wouldn't pull the trigger.

"That's a great way to get yourself killed," he said, because an intruder could take the gun.

But Wolfe -- a self-employed health insurance salesman whose business card depicts a plane flying into the World Trade Center because he's a "real patriot" who doesn't "want people to forget" -- said residents have little choice.

"If you were a crook and you were going to burglarize a home, would you go someplace you have a chance of getting caught or a place where you have an invitation?" he asked.

MacDonald said just one customer has sought a gun because of the new alarm policy -- Wolfe.

Wolfe, who already owns a shotgun for skeet shooting, said he plans to seek a concealed weapons permit for his new handgun.

Wasserman said Wolfe will have a tough time getting one from the police chief.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/11/BAG6CB978T1.DT L

[Shorty]

I don't know the demographics of Fremont, but if that town has so many burglar-alarmed homes, and false alarms, I would agree with the police!  If they have so much wealth but are unwilling to defend it themselves, screw 'em!  And, why does one need a concealed permit to defend against burglars?  What?  Are they coming home from the opera only to find a strange car in their driveway?  Stay home and watch "Lost" like the rest of us!  :wink:  

[fe352v8]

Where I live you get 3 false alarms per year then you are charged for each response arising from a false alarm.  If, for whatever reason a person decides not to avail themselves of a means of defending themselves, it does not absolve the civil authorities from up holding the laws of the community or protection of its citizens.

life is no joke but funny things happen

jon

[williamlayton]

Now I got an alarm system, and I like it---I even have had a few of those false alarms myownself over tha years. I have failed to set the motion detector off when I left. Tha dog set it off, etc.
In a city the size of Houston, where response time is very slow, even fer a shootin, whether they respond or not the sound is a deterent.
Now if I am home and it goes off, a man/woman should have the means to protect theirownselves and hopefully EMS will respond to tha call fer clean-up.
Blessings