sr-052279-11fSanta Mor~ca, California, May 11, 1979
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TO: Mayor and City Council
~~'' ~ 9 1979
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Burglar Alarm Ordinance Establishing Permit Requirements and Service
Charges for False Alarms.
Introduction
lhis report presents information regarding the service demands placed on the
Police Department by false burglar alarms, and recommends the drafting of an
ordinance requiring alarm permits and charging service fees for false alarms.
It also. reco~cs~nds placing restrictions on automatic dialing devices and ringer
alarms.
Backgrourid
False burglary alarms continuously divert Santa Plonica Police Officers from
legitimate law enforcement functions. The adoption of a city ordinance similar
to that one passed by the City of Beverly Hi11s would reduce the number of false
alarms in Santa P~nica and allow police officers to handle bona fide calls ~Tith
a quicker response time, would improve officer morale, and would in~ease their
alertness. False burglary alarms are an increasing and costly problem in
Santa Mm~ica. A three year recapitulation of false alarms is depicted below.
It is estimated that the cost of responding to these needless calls for service
approaches X275,000 per year:
1976 1977
3,092 3,258
1978
4,239
Other cities have adopted ordinances to alleviate this identical problem.
Los Angeles, for example, enacted an alarm ordinance, which proved deficient in
failing to provide sufficient penalties to produce a significant reduction in
false alarms. Prior to this enactment, 98% of alarms in Los Angeles were false;
subsequently, 95% were found to be false.
1 ~I
~,~~ ~y ~ ;? 1979
11q: Mayor and City Coin l 2 Santa Moi a, California, May 11, 1979
Another, more successful experience caith such an ordinance was recorded by
Beverly Hills, which enacted an ordinance requiring a licensing fee and providing
for police department response service charges. In this instance, a fifty percent
reduction in false alarms was achieved. In enacting this ordinance, Beverly Hills
required an annual permit fee of $25:00 and payment on an ascending nt~ber of
false alarms as follows:
Second False Alarm - $15.
Third False Alarm - $30.
Fourth False Alarm - $45.
Each Subsequent False Alarm - $45.
There is no response charge if the alarm is legitimate. In addition to the
charges noted above, the Beverly Hills Ordinance includes provisions for suspension
and revocation of alarm permits in aggravated situations.
Santa I~nica today remains the only municipality in the Santa Monica Bay area
without an ordinance regulating the use of burglary and robbery Alarms. Numbers
of the Police Department have met many times during the past eighteen months with
representatives of_ the business commnzity in an attempt to draft mutually
agreeable ordinance provisions. Unfortunately, after considerable discussion and
several revisions, a consensus was not achieved. Another problem relates to
the undertermined acmunt of automatic dialing devices being used in Santa Nloxiica
which, during an earthquake, power failure, or severe windstorm, could become
activated and tie-up the police department switchboard for an excessive period of
time. Prohibiting this type of alarm would prevent the police department's
switchboard from being tied-up by these automatic dialing devices.
Moreover, the City of Santa Monica has no control over external ringer alarms *,dnich
often ring for an extended period of time, creating disturbances in the immediate
area. A comprehensive ordinance should require automatic devices which would
shut-off ringer alarms after fifteen minutes. Such provisions are com~i in the
ordinances of other m~micipalities.
T0: Mayor and City Coun( 3 Santa N~n_ California, Nay 11, 1979
.Alternatives.
1. Do not enact an alarm ordinance. Continue to respond to
approximately 350 false alarms per manth at a cost of
approximately $23,000. monthly.
2. Enact an ordinance similar to the City of Los Angeles, cdnereby
no fees are involved and compliance is sought through
mediation.
3. Enact an ordinance similar to Beverly Hills-~ahrch-re
a permit and a permit fee in order to install an alarm initially,
and further establishes a graduated fee schedule of service
charges for non-legitimate calls for service. Include in the
ordinance prohibitions against .automatic dialing devices
connected to alarms and a requirement that ringer alarms have
automatic devices to shut-off the alarm after fifteen minutes.
Recommendation
Alternative ~f3, above; direct the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance similar
to the Beverly Hi11s ordinance with the added features prohibiting automatic dialing
devices and restricting ringer alarms. Further, that the Staff meet with affected
groups to discuss the provisions of the proposed ordinance.
Prepared by: Acting Chief James F. Keane
JFK:cs