False Alarm Ordinance Study Session MemorandumSeptember 22, 2014
Salina City Commission
Study Session Brief
Alarm Ordinances
Brad Nelson, Chief of Police
Larry Mullikin, Fire Chief
There is no doubt that communities struggle to control and reduc
notifications to the police and fire departments. Both police and fire departments share the problems
generated by residential alarm systems since the systems general
However, thatis where any similarities cease as you will see in this study se
The police and fire departments will provide an overview of the s
are currently responding to. Additionally, the departments have provided a sample ordinance
discussion purposes.
To get the large picture, the following two statements on the problem in general. One is from the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the other is fro
Chiefs of Police (IACP).
National Fire Protection AssociationInternational Association of Chiefs of Police
Unwanted fire alarms are a problem for the fireUnnecessary calls for police service due to false
service, businesses, and the public. NFPAburglar alarms have grown into a tremendous problem.
estimates that in 2009, U.S. fire departmentsBurglar alarms serve as useful deterrents to crime, but
responded to an estimated total of 2,177,000the amount of time and money police spend
false alarms. These calls include false calls toresponding to the 7 million to 15 millioncalls has
911 as well as automatic alarms and are notproducedincreasing strain on local budgets.
limited to false calls relating to structure fires.
During 2009, false alarm responses included:Regardless of recent efforts the proportion of false
alarm calls remains high, well over 90% of all calls.
979,500, (45% of false alarms) calls due
As a result, false burglar alarms continue to be a
to unintentional activations,
significant issue for many law enforcement agencies.
698,000 (32%) due to system
malfunctions,
Today’s fiscal environment leaves many law
183,000 (8%) malicious or mischievous
enforcement agencies struggling to provide critical
false alarms and;
services with fewer resources. In 2011, police
316,500 (15%) other false alarms,
responded to more than 38 million false burglary alarm
including bomb scares and unclassified
calls. For many jurisdictions, alarm calls represent the
false alarms.
most frequent call for service, placing a significant
Only 3% were actual fires or valid
burden on agency budgets and personnel. A November
system activations
2012 Urban Institute report found that reduction of a
single false alarm saves 40 minutes of officer time, and
$50-$120 in associated costs.