Chico revises ordinance, stops fining alarm companies
By Spencer Ives
Updated Wed April 8, 2015
In October, the City of Chico, Calif., passed an ordinance to fine alarm companies for false alarm dispatches. The California Alarm Association and SIAC responded, citing precedence in Fontana, Calif., where a similar ordinance was overturned. Now, the City of Chico has opted toward the standard action of fining alarm users for false alarms.
Jon Sargent in November told Security Systems News that SIAC remained available to help revise the ordinance.
SIAC is pleased with the outcome, Stan Martin, executive director for SIAC told me in an email interview.
Chico's city council voted unanimously for the ordinance that fined alarm companies, and now it has voted unanimously to fine alarm users.
The new ordinance will fine alarm users $50 for the first false alarm, $100 for the second, and $200 for the third. The Chico Police Department can cease responding to repeat offenders, reported the Chico Enterprise-Record. The new ordinance also seeks alarm verification before dispatch.
The original ordinance proposed fining $100 to the alarm company after a first false alarm, and rising to $400 after consecutive false alarms.
“We are going to get a reduction in false alarms. That's is what we wanted all along. If we get that, whether it's the alarm user or the company, that is what we want,” Chico police Capt. Mike O'Brien said in the report.
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