Police

 

In early 2023, as a term of the settlement of a class action lawsuit, the City of Cincinnati issued refund checks to the account holders of residential and business properties who paid alarm user registration fees. Checks were sent to every identified class member.

It was recognized that some individuals or businesses who paid these registration fees may not have been identified as class members. Under the terms of the settlement, the City has created an administrative procedure that allows anyone who feels they should have been included as a class member but, for whatever reason, was not included to still receive a refund. If you (1) paid an alarm user registration fee between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2022, (2) were not identified as a class member, and (3) have not otherwise received a refund related to the payment of alarm user registration fees, you may submit a request to the Cincinnati Police Department’s False Alarm Reduction Unit (“FARU”).

Please note that the settlement and refunds apply only to alarm user registration fees. For residential properties, the fee was $50 every two years; for nonresidential properties, the fee was $100 every two years. Fees charged to alarm businesses, or any fines or fees associated with having multiple false alarms or failing to register were not included the settlement and are not subject to refunds.

Unclaimed refund checks sent to class members have been placed in the City’s unclaimed funds

If you were a class member who was sent a check that was returned to the City for some reason, then the amount of your check was placed in the City’s unclaimed funds. Requests to have those funds released to you may be submitted to by emailing a request for a reissuance of the check to faru@cincinnati-oh.gov.

How to submit a claim

Claims may be submitted to FARU between December 11, 2023, and December 11, 2025. Claims may be submitted electronically to faru@cincinnati-oh.gov or in writing to Cincinnati Police Department, FARU, P.O. Box 14573, Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0573. All claims must be received on or before December 11, 2025, to be considered. No late claims will be considered, and any claim received on or after December 12, 2025, shall be automatically denied.

            Those seeking a claim must prove by clear and convincing evidence that they are entitled to a refund. The claimant may submit whatever proof they feel is necessary to support their claim. Such proof may include, but is not limited to: (1) the address associated with the alarm, (2) the name and mailing address of the account holder, (3) the dates of any payments, (4) the amount of any payments, and (5) the account number associated with the alarm.

Refunds will be issued only to the account holder

If a refund was paid to the account holder that was on file with FARU but, in fact, someone else paid it, then whoever paid it must seek return of the payment from the person listed as the account holder. An example: John Smith was listed as the account holder for 123 Main Street Unit 1, but the responsible party was listed as 123 Main Street Apartments LLC. Under the terms of the settlement, the refund was sent to the account holder. If you are a responsible party who paid on the account holder’s behalf, then you will need to seek recover of the refund from the account holder.

Refund checks will be made out to the same name or entity that listed at the account holder. The City cannot issue refunds under a different name. An example: Payments were made by John and Jane Doe, then the check will be written out to John and Jane Doe. If one of the persons listed is deceased, unless it was a married couple, then that is an issue that likely needs to be resolved through the probate process, and FARU will only issue checks to John and Jane Doe. A second example: Payments were made by ABC Corporation, which has since gone out of business. FARU will only issue checks to ABC Corporation.

There are two exceptions. First, if a check was written out to a married couple and one of them is deceased, then FARU may, in its sole discretion, issue a check to the surviving spouse. Second, if the check was written out to the named account holder who was employed by and paid it on behalf of the responsible party but the named person is no longer employed by the responsible party, then FARU may, in its sole discretion, issue payment to the responsible party. As an example: a check was made out to Jane Doe, Director of Accounts Receivable, Local Bank. Jane Doe is no longer employed by Local Bank and John Roe replaced her. Under this unique circumstance, FARU has discretion to issue a check to John Roe, Director of Accounts Receivable, Local Bank.

What happens after you submit your claim

Upon receipt of a claim, FARU shall review the claim. FARU may, in its sole discretion, request further information from the claimant. Based upon FARU’s review of the evidence you submit, FARU may approve the claim in full, approve in part and deny in part, or deny the claim in full.

FARU will attempt to respond to each claim within 90 days of receiving the claim, but response times may vary.

Appeal right

Any person who has a claim denied in part or in full may appeal the decision to the Office of Administrative hearings with 28 days of the denial. Any decision of the Office of Administrative Hearings may be appealed pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2506. The failure to file a timely appeal with the Office of Administrative Hearings shall render any decision final. More information about the Office of Administrative Hearings may be found at https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/law/oah/