Southern California City Adopts False Alarm Fines, Permit Fees
Beginning March 1, the Beaumont Police Department will enforce residential and commercial alarm permits and false alarm activations.
As part of a city ordinance, an application form and an annual fee of $21 is payable within 10 days of installation of a new alarm system or activation of an existing system. (facebook.com/beaumontCApolice)
BEAUMONT, Calif. — The Beaumont Police Department will begin enforcing residential and commercial alarm permits and false alarm activations, effective March 1.
Located about 25 miles northwest of Palm Springs in Southern California’s Riverside County, the police here say the department responds to thousands of alarms each year at homes and businesses across the city, yet only a handful of these are valid.
“False alarms cause a reduction in manpower and unnecessary cost to the City of Beaumont,” the Beaumont Police Department states on its website.
In most cases, false alarms are generally the result of operator or system error, police say. The City of Beaumont already requires that residents and businesses obtain a permit from the city if they want to install and use an alarm system.
As part of a city ordinance, an application form and an annual fee of $21 is payable within 10 days of installation of a new alarm system or activation of an existing system. The permit application is placed on file with the Beaumont Police Department and must be renewed on an annual basis, according to the ordinance.
If an alarm user fails to obtain a permit through the city, the resident or business owner can be cited. Also, if an alarm system has two or more false alarms within a consecutive 365-day period residents or business owners will be subject to fines and/or placed on a “No Response List.”
“The Beaumont Police Department makes every effort to provide the best possible law enforcement service to all segments of our community. Reducing the number of false alarms will help to achieve this end,” the department states.
Officials are encouraging citizens who use an alarm system to file a permit with the city and have alarms serviced or tested to avoid getting cited.
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
Related Content
Security Is Our Business, Too
For professionals who recommend, buy and install all types of electronic security equipment, a free subscription to Commercial Integrator + Security Sales & Integration is like having a consultant on call. You’ll find an ideal balance of technology and business coverage, with installation tips and techniques for products and updates on how to add to your bottom line.
A FREE subscription to the top resource for security and integration industry will prove to be invaluable.
