California town adopts alarm ordinance

In an attempt to address the excessively large number of false alarm incidents to which the Arcadia Police Department responds, the City Council recently made changes to the City's security alarm ordinance. If your home or business is equipped with a security alarm, please be aware of the following changes to the alarm ordinance that are now in effect:

1. Each home or business is required to pay a $40.00 annual (365 days) permit fee.

2. Any home or business that registers three false burglary alarms in a 365-day period will be charged $200.00; four false burglary alarms in a 365-day period will be charged $300.00; and if a home or busienss registers five or more false burglary alarms in a 365-day period a $400.00 charge will apply to the fifth and all subsequent false alarms in that period.

3. Any home or business that registers two false robbery or panic alarms in a 365-day period will be charged $200.00 for the second and all subsequent false robbery or false panic alarms.

4. Any home or business that registers seven or more false alarms in a 365-day period is subject to deactivation by the City. To reactivate the alarm the owner/operator must show proof of correction to the alarm system and pay a reinstatement fee of $200.00, after review by the City.

A false alarm is any alarm that signifies a burglary, robbery or panic emergency when those incidents or emergencies are not actually taking place. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Police Department's Community Services Office at 574-5174.