S.A.P.D
By: Roger Gass
Updated: September 4, 2007
Throughout 2006, the San Angelo Police Department only collected $1,100 in false alarm fees…an amount that should have reached into the 10s of thousands. That is where Chief of Police Tim Vasquez is hoping PM-AM Corporation may soon help the Department collect those fees.
Chief Vasquez said, "They are able to track and see who has 'x' amount of false alarms. Well, then they will go above and beyond and try to educate that person and for what they can do to bring that number of false alarms down and that is a great service. That is a service I can't provide at this point."
While Chief Vasquez is in support of this Irving based company, Councilmember Morrison is not confident with this course of action.
Dwain Morrison said, "I have a real problem outsourcing this information, bank cards, credit cards, and bank numbers and all of these many things that can be used against us. It is a 56/44 split, they get 56% and we get 44% on the collections."
Chief Vasquez and representatives for PM-AM Corporation assures the residents of San Angelo their private information will not be at risk.
Chief Vasquez said, "We are going to put the same people doing the collections through our background to be sure that they are okay to get that information. Again, it is not any different then sending a check to your water bill or sending a check to a collection agency that has contacted you on behalf of a municipal court saying you have 150 dollars in fines. That is exactly what this is."
With a vote of 5 to 2, the council gave the okay for Chief Vasquez to begin negotiations with the corporation; however Councilmember Morrison says he would handle this differently.
Dwain Morrison said, "We give them five, I would like to see it reduced to three and if they won't pay then we revoke their permit. It is the best way to handle it."
