A public hearing is expected to be held to repeal Frederick County's alarm system registration ordinance. The law went into affect in August, 2000 to help reduce the number of false alarms by encouraging customers to maintain their alarm systems.

At that time, the Sheriff's Office was complaining that deputies were responding to too many false alarms. The ordinance required that the offending residences and businesses be fined for not maintaining their alarm systems after a certain number of false alarms. It was supposed to encourage them to keep their systems maintained.

Residential and commercial alarm customers were required to register and pay a fee.

Sheriff Chuck Jenkins is calling for the law's repeal. "This ordinance has never achieved its goals to reduce or eliminate false alarms," he says in a statement. "The program never did more than generate revenue from alarm users, and it is an unproductive use of our public safety personnel," he continues.

If the ordinance is repealed, the county says it's expects to save $67,000.

No date for the hearing has announced.