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The Demarcos say verified response is 'a joke.'

Enough is enough - that's what many small businesses in Dallas are saying after repeated break-ins they blame on the city's verified response policy.

On top of that, it could be costing the city business.

But a change in the city council could mean a change in this controversial rule.

Vicki Demarco goes through a new ritual before opening her shop on Lower Greenville.

She lays out all her merchandise locked up overnight.

"Probably the last time we got broken in to, if we would've left our store like this, we would've been totally wiped out," she said.

Demarco and her husband Harry started clearing the store after their third break-in in six months.

The Demarcos got to the store seven minutes after their alarm company called.

The burglars got away with some of the unique European clothes and left the Demarcos, as small business owners, angry at the city's verified response policy.

"For 17 years we've had no break-ins and then the verified response went into effect and all of a sudden the chains came off of everybody," said Harry Demarco.

In March 2006, Dallas police stopped responding to business burglar alarms because most are false.

Officers will come if a security company or other responder verify a break-in happened.

Since then, police say business burglaries have not gone up dramatically.

Average response time dropped from 31 to 28 minutes for all calls and that verified response is a factor.

"We certainly believe that it's accomplishing its goal. It is saving officer time and of course time is very precious," said Lt. Vernon Hale.

With the council poised to hire another 200 to 250 new officers next year, verified response still has defenders.

"The last thing I would hate to do is have all those officers answering false alarms on a constant basis, as they were in the past," said Steve Salazar from Dallas City Council.

But despite police claims that verified response is working, what runs against it is the anecdotal evidence from business owners that it's not and the political interest in the economic development of the southern sector.

Pharmacist Howard Aldridge confronted a burglar at his southern sector pharmacy after his alarm company called one Sunday in July.

Fortunately, the thief ran and Aldridge wasn't hurt.

He sees why other businesses might not want to join him.

"I think it would be a negative as far as people wanting to come here in this area," he said.

He's got some influential people now agreeing with him.

The city wants more businesses in the southern sector and that means creating a business-friendly climate.

The new mayor Tom Leppert and others on the council question if verified response is in the way.

"I share your frustration. I do plan to bring it before the council again to reconsider that," he said.

Aldridge and the Demarcos say they'll be there when it happens, after the clothes are put up safely.

"This verified response is a joke," said Harry Demarco.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com.