False Alarm Program

In 2004 the City implemented a new alarm ordinance increasing the responsibility on the alarm company/monitoring center. The first two years have produced a 36% decrease in the number of dispatched alarm calls. While this is a good start, alarm calls are still the 5th most frequent call for police service and associated costs of alarm response is annually over 1 million dollars. While this ordinance has been successful it still has not impacted the ratio of false alarm to valid alarms, which has been 98% false, consistent for the last 30 years.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FALSE ALARMS?

Most often alarm owners set off their alarms while attempting to activate or deactivate their systems (according to the alarm industry). Other examples of false alarms are employees or persons without proper codes, pets, balloons or any object that can be moved by air currents from devices such as heat or air conditioning systems.

Remember, an alarm system only detects MOTION, not criminal intent!

When working with an alarm system, remember that all monitored alarm systems must go through a third party monitoring center. There are no direct connections to the police or 911 centers.

The monitoring center is only relaying a mechanical signal to the police on your behalf. Be sure to update your phone numbers and contact list. This will assist the monitoring center in the verification process.

Alarm systems may be a deterrent and are most useful when used as a part of a layered security system instead of a stand-alone security device. The foundation of Layered security begins with:

• Physical Security (i.e. doors, locks, lights etc)

• Active block watches

• Additional Security measures such as additional phones and/or buddy system

• Alternative security practices such as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

If you are going to use an alarm system consider the use of private guard response for alarm signal verification. Your alarm company should have a guard company on retainer and be able to set this up. This typically gives you a more timely economical response and greatly assists the police in reducing unnecessary calls for service. For further details contact the alarm unit listed below.

PREVENTING FALSE ALARMS?

Once the alarm has been tripped there are ways to prevent the false alarm from reaching the police.

• Know what to do if you accidentally set-off the alarm system.

• Call your Monitoring Center! Not the police. Even if considerable time has elapsed. Only your monitoring center can cancel a request for police regarding your alarm signal that may prevent a false alarm fee

• Write down the procedures for activating and deactivating the system and make them available near the control panel.

• Place the alarm monitoring center's phone number near the phone and/or control panel.

• Have immediate access to your code or password but do not leave it with the instructions or in unsecured places.

• Make sure your emergency contact names and phone numbers are updated with the alarm-monitoring center.

• Alarm owners are required to train all other authorized users to properly operate the system. Authorized persons should have their own separate password.

• Local alarms (those without monitoring companies) are required to have emergency contact phone numbers posted near the front door of the premise.

ABOUT THE FALSE ALARM ORDINANCE?

Seattle's False Alarm Ordinance became effective January 1, 2004. This ordinance affects intrusion alarms (burglar alarms) on residential and commercial property. This includes heat and smoke detectors that are a part of the burglar alarm system. In November 2005 amendments were made to the ordinance changing the original price structure. The new fees are:

• $10 per annum alarms device fee for each monitored alarm system.

• $90 per false alarm occurrence.

• All license fees and false alarm fees will be billed to your Alarm Company and/or Monitoring Center. These fees may be passed on to the alarm owner. The alarm company may add additional administrative fees.

• The City of Seattle nor the Police Department have any control over what the alarm companies charge their customers to recover their false alarm costs.

• Owners will now use their Alarm Company and/or Monitoring Center as the primary contact. It is the responsibility of the alarm company to represent their customer in any false alarm and/or billing issue.

• Alarm owners are entitled to one false alarm fee waiver per premise address. Attendance at an Alarm User Workshop or switching to private guard response is required to obtain the waiver fee. Request the waiver through your Alarm Company/and/or monitoring center.

• If you have a false alarm and later discover that an actual crime occurred, call 911. A valid police report is necessary to waive the false alarm fee. Notify your Alarm Company-and/or Monitoring Center and provide them with the Incident Number of the police report. They will submit that information to the city and the fee will be waived administratively.

• No Response Status: A premise (residential or commercial) with 6 false alarms in a 12-month period may be placed on a suspended status. An administrative hearing is required to contest this status. Your alarm company is required to attend the hearing with you to contest the no response status. A premise placed on No Response Status will remain so for 1 year.

*This ordinance contains separate alarm device fees for fire alarm systems. There are no false fire response fees. For further information regarding fire alarm systems contact the Fire Department at 206-386-1449 or at www.seattle.gov/fire. Although vehicle alarms are not a part of this ordinance they are covered under SMC 11.84.365 and are notoriously false. If you are going to employ a vehicle alarm here are some guidelines to follow.

VEHICLE ALARMS

Vehicle Alarms:

• Use secured parking whenever possible eliminating the need for a security device.

• Use an anti-ignition or other engine-disabling device.

• Use a steering wheel lock.

• If your alarm is audible set the sensitivity to a level where only an actual break-in will be detected. Loud or other vibrating noises should not set off your system. Test your alarm!

• Adjust the amount of time the siren or horn sounds to the minimum. One or two minutes is more than sufficient.

• Employ an alarm system with a pager that notifies you that you alarm has been activated.

• Place an emergency number or pager number on the vehicle window. This will assist neighbors or the police in locating you if your system is repeatedly having false alarms or in the event of an actual crime.

BE AWARE

98% of all Alarms are false!

False Alarms are costly to the city and impact public safety as a whole. False alarms are the 5th most frequent type of calls that patrol officers respond to.

MORE INFORMATION

Your Alarm Company and/or Monitoring Center is your primary point of contact for all false alarm questions.

For additional information, visit the City of Seattle's alarm-system monitoring law web site

Other questions concerning -false alarms issues may be directed to Seattle Police Department Alarm Unit at (206) 684-7713 or e-mail at false.alarms@seattle.gov