Patchogue Barbecue Joint Sues County For $40M

PATCHOGUE, NY — A Patchogue barbecue restaurant is suing the county for $40 million over false alarm fees that it claims are both unconstitutional and excessive. The operator of Bobbique, a barbecue joint that first opened its doors on West Main Street in 2006, sued Suffolk County on June 18, Newsday first reported. The restaurant deferred comment to attorney Christopher Bianco, who confirmed to Patch on Tuesday a lawsuit had been filed.

The class action lawsuit looks to eliminate the cost of all fees assessed to county residents for false alarms by their security systems, and to collect $40 million in damages. The suit claims the county's false alarm program violates constitutional rights by charging unreasonable amounts and not allowing due process to the individuals charged, among other issues. The county has long argued that the fees are a way to reduce false alarms so that law enforcement can devote more time to fighting actual crime.

Before the law was implemented, about in every six 911 calls were about false alarms.

County Spokesman Derek Poppe told Patch in an emailed statement that the false alarm program has been "overwhelmingly successful," reducing tens of thousands of false alarm calls that police receive every year, which divert valuable resources.