New Alarm Ordinance - Police Reponse Policy
CATHDERAL CITY - Since August 1st, 2010, the Cathedral City Police Department has been utilizing a Verified Alarm Response Policy (VAR) to evaluate and respond to residential and business alarms. Verified Alarm Response was implemented due to excessive false burglar and robbery alarms and a lack of resources and personnel to adequately respond to those calls. In order to better serve the community, the Police Department conceived a novel approach to addressing the concerns of our residential and business districts in order to once again respond to ALL alarms in the City without the need for verification.
On Wednesday, December 15th, the City Council approved a new Alarm Ordinance and Alarm User Permit and Fee Schedule. The new ordinance, permit, and fee schedule will allow the Police Department to add additional personnel to respond to all alarm calls; thus, serving the needs and expectations of our citizens and business community.
Effective January 2012, all residents and businesses with an alarm system will be required to obtain an Alarm Users Permit with the City. The Alarm Users Permit will be made available at the Cathedral City Police Department, as well as online at www.CathedralCityAlarm.org <http://www.CathedralCityAlarm.org>. The website to be available to the public before January 1st, 2011.
Permit applications are currently available at the front counter of the Police Department.
Clients and customers with valid Alarm Permits will be allowed one false alarm response per year without incurring any false alarm response fees. In the event a client or customer has a second false alarm in any 365 day period, they will be given the option of completing an online alarm education course to reduce the response fee for the second false alarm.
The purpose of the online education course is to provide alarm users with additional resources and information to assist them with becoming better alarm owners, and minimizing the potential for false alarm responses.
Here is some of the new alarm fee information:
Alarm User Permit: $35
If obtained 90 days after alarm activation (late fee) $55
Annual Alarm Permit Renewal: $30
If renewed within 30 days of expiration date $30
If renewed more than 30 days after expiration date $40
If renewed more than 90 days after expiration date $50
Second False Burglar Alarm* $100
Third False Burglar Alarm* $150
Fourth or more False Burglar Alarm* $200
Second False Robbery Alarm* $100
Third False Robbery Alarm* $150
Fourth or more False Robbery Alarm* $200
Re-issued Alarm User Permit* $200
First Response to Non-permitted Burglar or Robbery Alarm* $100
Second or more Response to Non-permitted Burglar or Robbery Alarm* $200
Online Alarm Education - Diversion Course $25
*(Within ANY 365 day period)
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