Sep. 12--Ignoring Police Chief David Kunkle's recommendations, the Dallas City Council today repealed its "verified response" burglar alarm policy, meaning police officers will again automatically respond to all commercial alarm calls.

The 11-4 vote came as a majority of council members argued that cops -- not business owners or private security guards who must first verify a sounding alarm's validity before police respond -- should answer alarm calls.

"We've got to be concerned about the policy and the wider message it sends," Mr. Leppert said, noting that guaranteed police response to burglar alarms is one component in helping Dallas expand its tax base, thereby increasing funds available to police. "This is not a policy that allows us to continue to build the city of Dallas."

Chief Kunkle has repeatedly testified before the council that verified response allows him to use scant police resources to respond to more pressing emergencies. Last week, the chief told council members that he knows of no increase in crime attributable to verified response and that more than 97 percent of activated burglar alarms are ultimately ruled false.

"I'm worried about the 2.7 percent that's left ... the citizens -- they're the ones we're going to have to look after," Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway said Wednesday.

"We do not need to verify alarms. We as a city need to have the police to do their jobs. They need to protect our property and our safety," District 8 council member Tennell Atkins added.

Mr. Leppert also argued that funds slated for inclusion in Dallas' 2007-2008 city budget will help hire at least 200 new police officers and a bevy of new equipment that will help accommodate any workload increase verified response's repeal may cause.

Wednesday's vote comes 21 months after the council voted 8-5 to institute verified response for businesses, with then-Mayor Laura Miller arguing, "I believe in the chief. This makes sense."

Between February 2006 and March 2007, Dallas experienced a 45 percent reduction in burglar-alarm calls and directed $1.56 million in manpower costs spent on responding to false alarm calls on other work, according to city staff's briefing to the council. It also notes that fees charged for false alarms decreased by $1.19 million.

Business burglaries declined by 0.6 percent during a one-year period that ended Feb. 28, according to the presentation to the council.