Alarm FAQ

Yes, any home or business operating a burglar/panic alarm system in Morton Grove is required to register their alarm system.

No, local alarms that set off a bell, siren and/or strobe light outside the home do not need to register.  However, if the homeowner or keyholder calls the Police department to respond to their address to check their premises … the homeowner needs to register with the Village.

No, vehicle alarms and medical alert alarms do not need to be registered.

Alarm users can register on-line, in person or by mail.

• On-line:  Registered alarm users can go to www.mortongroveil.org.  First time users will need to contact Morton Grove Police Department Alarm Services Section at 847-663-3991, Monday through Friday between 9am – 3pm.
• By Mail:  Registered and new alarm users can go to www.mortongroveil.org to print out an alarm user application form.
• In Person:  Registered and new alarm users can file their applications at the Morton Grove Village Hall located at 6101 Capulina Avenue in Morton Grove.  Village Hall is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am – 5:00pm.

The annual fee to register your alarm system is $50.00 and is valid from January 1 – December 31.  The fee is pro-rated for new alarm installations.  Please contact the Morton Grove Police Department Alarm Services Section to determine the pro-rated fee.

Alarm users can pay on-line, by mail or in person.

• On-line:  Registered alarm users can go to www.mortongroveil.org.  First time users will need their customer number and account number that is found in the alarm invoice from the Village.
• By Mail:  Registered and new alarm users can mail their completed application and check for $50.00 payable to the Village of Morton Grove.  Our mailing address is:  Village of Morton Grove, 6101 Capulina Avenue, Morton Grove, IL 60053  Attn:  Finance Department.
• In Person:  Registered and new alarm users can pay in person at the Morton Grove Village Hall located at 6101 Capulina Avenue in Morton Grove.  Village Hall is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am – 5:00pm.

The alarm application fees offset the costs to run the program which maintains needed information to assist officers that may need to respond to the alarm.  It also provides you three (3) free false alarms a year before you are fined.

The Village of Morton Grove defines a false alarm as an alarm signal eliciting a police or fire response wherein an emergency situation does not exist.  This could be attributed to signals activated by negligence, accident or an alarm system component failure.

An alarm is not false if the responding officer determines that:

• The alarm was activated by the alarm user based on a reasonable belief that an emergency existed.
• There is evidence of a crime or attempted crime.
• Weather related.
• Power outage caused by weather or a downed power line.

• 4 thru 6 false alarms - $75.00 per false alarm
• over 6 false alarms - $100.00 per false alarm

Responding to false alarms has created an additional burden to law enforcement agencies.  On average, an alarm call consumes about 15 minutes, per alarm, per officer.  Multiply that with the number of false alarms a day and the total hours can divert officers from actual emergencies, proactive patrol and community policing.

Responding to burglar alarms is a special service rendered by the police department and is not used by the general population.

Registered alarm users can log in online at www.mortongroveil.org or send their updates via e-mail to mgalarms@mortongroveil.org.  Alarm users can also call the Morton Grove Police Department Alarm Services section between the hours of 9am and 3pm at 847-663-3991.

Alarm users who are moving or discontinuing their alarm service must send a written notification to the Morton Grove Police Department Alarm Services Section to be removed from the alarm registry.

Please contact the Morton Grove Police Department Alarm Services section at 847-663-3991 or via email at mgalarms@mortongroveil.org.