2021-07-07 City Council Item No. 12.2 Burglar Alarm Systems Regular MEETING - Additional Meeting MaterialsMenifee
Police
DePartMent
Captain Dave Gutierrez
Burglar Alarm Registration Process
Ordinance and Fee Resolution
July 7, 2021 1
•Between July 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021, Menifee PD
has received 2,912 alarm calls.
•2,583 were dispatched to patrol officers
•Only 23, or .89% were found to be legitimate
•Of the 2,583 alarm calls:
•1,387 were commercial alarms
•1,525 were residential alarms
•On average, MPD is responding to approximately 8 alarm
calls per day, most of which are false.
Background
1
•A false alarm can be caused by a few different reasons
•User error / wrong code**•Faulty/malfunctioning equipment•Pets•Poor installation•Lack of maintenance to equipment
Once an alarm is triggered, the alarm company notifies dispatch to report the activation
Each activation requires a response from the Police Department
What Causes False Alarms?
2
•False alarm calls pull from law enforcement
resources, which could lead to longer response
times to other legitimate crimes, and/or other
emergency calls
•The average time spent responding to and handling
a false alarm varies between 30 minutes and one
hour, occasionally longer depending on the type
•All alarm calls require a minimum two officer
response for officer safety
•Approximate fiscal impact is $200.00 per response
False Alarm Impacts
3
•2,583 dispatched alarm calls –23 legitimate alarm
calls = 2,560 false alarm responses (7/1/20-5/31/21)
•2,560 x $200 =$512,000 fiscal impact + lost officer
productivity and increased response times to other
calls
False Alarm Impacts
4
•The purpose of this Ordinance is designed to minimize the amount of owners who have frequent false alarms
•This will be done through a registration/permit process and an escalating fee system•Per location
•Benefits of registering alarms:
•Obtain alarm owner’s information to allow false alarms to be turned off•Provides PD with emergency contact information in case of a true emergency •Ensures alarms notifications are going to the right individuals•Increased collection rates
•Can be done online in minutes
Alarm Registration / Permit
5
Alarm Registration / Permit Fees
6
Alarm Type Yearly Permit Cost of Fee
Residential 1 $0
Commercial 1 $0
Residential Non-Compliance Penalty $50
Commercial Non-Compliance Penalty $50
False Alarm Penalty
False Alarm Response Fees for False Alarms Occurring Within a 365-Day Period
Alarm owners who accidently set off newly installed alarms will not be penalized, nor will owners of
alarms in which there may have been a break-in attempt, but the burglar had since fled
*Discretion 7
False Alarm Type #of Alarm Permitted Unpermitted
Residential/Commercial First No Charge Warning
Residential/Commercial Second $100 $200
Residential/Commercial Third $125 $250
Residential/Commercial Fourth $175 $300
Residential/Commercial Fifth $200 $400
Residential/Commercial Sixth +$250 $500
Comparison
CITIES 1ST FALSE ALARM 2ND FALSE ALARM 3RD FALSE ALARM 4TH FALSE ALARM 5TH FALSE ALARM 6+ PERMIT -YEAR 1 RENEWAL
CHULA VISTA $100.00 $200.00 $500.00 $28.75
CITRUS HEIGHTS $0.00 $75.00 $150.00 $200.00 $250.00 $50.00 $15.00
FULLERTON $0.00 $0.00 $55.00 $155.00 $231.00
$44-R/$50-
SC/$100-LC SAME
LAKE ELSINORE $0.00 $0.00 $120.58-R/$220.10-C $120.58-R/$220.10-C $120.58-R/$220.10-C
MURRIETA $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $100.00 $150.00 $200.00
TEMECULA (FIRE)$0.00 $100.00 $200.00 $250.00
LAPD $216P/$316U $266P/$416U $316P/$516U $366P/$616U $366P/$616U $48.00 $31.00
CITY OF RIVERSIDE $0.00 / Warning $0.00P/$350U $100P/$400U $150P/$450U $200P/$500U $250P/$500U $16.00
SAN DIEGO $100.00 $200.00 $300.00 $400.00 $500.00 $10/$18 for 2yrs
VISTA $0.00 $0.00 $100.00 $200.00 $500.00 $50.00 -one time
HEMET $0.00 $100P/$200U $125P/$250U $150P/$300U $175P/$350U $200P/$400U $31.00
MENIFEE $0.00 $100P/$200U $125P/$250U $175P/$350U $200P/$400U $250P/$500U No Charge No Charge
14
False Alarm Tracking
•Tracking includes:
•Number and location of false alarms
•Determining if penalties are due
•Collecting the penalties
•Staff recommends utilizing the services of an alarm tracking company
•Services would be performed on behalf of the City for a percentage of the revenues recovered
•The Police Department would submit false alarm information to the alarm tracking company
•Staff conducted an RFP process and ultimately selected PM AM as our third-party alarm tracking provider
9
Staff Participation
•The proposed ordinance is designed to reduce unnecessary
burden to City staff, while promoting the most effective
reduction in false alarms allowing us to better partner
with our community
•Appeals to the false alarm penalties and/or denial or
suspension of alarm permits would be directed to the
appropriate staff as noted in the Ordinance for resolution
•A hearing filing fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) will apply
10
Outreach
•In partnership with Economic Development, we conducted a small business virtual information meeting in early 2020
•Met with the Chamber to advise of the Ordinance
•Spoke to Menifee Union and Perris Union Schools Districts
•Economic Development will be sending out an email to all business license holders
•We will be reaching out to all alarm installer business license holders
•Article in Menifee Matters
•Will set up FAQ’s on PD website
•Online training and prevention tips
•Social media outreach
11
Program Successes
•Pembroke Pines, FL: 38% decrease in FA’s between 2014 and 2020 (registration required)
•Cobb County, GA: 51% decrease in FA’s between 2015 and 2020 (registration required)
•Glendale, CA: 17% decrease in FA’s between 2017 and 2020 (registration required)
•Upland, CA: 27% decrease in FA’s between FY 18/19 and 20/21. (registration required)
11
Timeline
•July 7th –1st reading
•August 4th –2nd reading
•30-day waiting period –September 3rd
•6-month grace period for registration –effective March
5, 2021
•Fees for false alarms to start September 4, 2021
11
Fiscal Impact
•The accompanying Resolution will allow the City to recover a portion of
the costs associated with responding to false alarm calls by Police.
Collection of fees will result in an increase of $7,500 to revenue account
number 100-3466 False Alarm Response Fees and an appropriation in
expenditures of $5,000 in account number 100-4911-52800 Professional
Services.
12
Menifee
Police
DePartMent
Questions ?
13