Security Alarms

Oxnard’s Alarm Ordinance, Section 11-63 (Q) defines a false alarm as:

“An alarm to which responding personnel, having investigated the alarm site, find no evidence of a situation requiring a response by such personnel, or, except for an alarm based on fire or medical emergency, find that the alarm site contains one or more unsecured exterior doors or windows.  A false alarm includes an alarm caused by a power outage, but does not include an alarm caused by a force majeure or an extraordinary condition not reasonably within the control of the alarm business or alarm user. False alarms include situations involving an authorized person or persons at the alarm location who do not use the proper alarm code.”

• Malfunctioning alarm systems
• Owner, visitor, real estate agents, cleaning crews or other employee error in disarming the alarm system
• Doors or windows left open or ajar
• Animals locked inside and moving about the premises
• Mail being dropped through a door mail-drop slot
• Power outages coupled with improper battery back-up system
• Telephone line problems
• An overly-sensitive system that activates when persons rattle a door or window
• Drapes or balloons blowing in the breeze
• Improperly secured doors or windows blown open by wind

Oxnard’s new alarm ordinance went into effect on February 7, 2019.  The ordinance promotes alarm user responsibility and accountability.

Oxnard’s Alarm Ordinance incorporates measures to reduce the percentage of false alarms. According to the Security Alarm Industry Coalition (“SAIC”), studies have shown that “enhanced call confirmation” (“ECC”) policies and practices can prevent the vast majority of false alarms. The proposed Ordinance introduces ECC as a prerequisite to alarm companies requesting a police response to one of its client locations.  ECC requires the alarm company to attempt to reach two (2) pre-designated contacts before requesting a police response.  According to the National Monitoring Center, many agencies that have adopted ECC practices are reporting between a 60-70% decrease in false alarm responses. This reduction translates to increased officer availability to respond to other service demands.

Oxnard’s alarm ordinance is designed to promote alarm user responsibility.  Those alarm users whose alarm sites generate excessive alarm call responses by the Police Department will be fined.  An “excessive” alarm location is defined in the Ordinance Section 11-63(P) as “The occurrence of two (2) or more false alarms, generated by an alarm user’s alarm system, within a twelve (12) month period.”

These standards apply to locations that are professionally monitored, as well as those locations that have “monitor it yourself” alarm systems.

When a location is deemed to have excessive false alarms, the alarm user will be fined $145 for each additional response within a twelve month period.

Those locations that demonstrate over five false alarm responses during a twelve month period may be subject to an alarm permit suspension or revocation.  A suspension or revocation will result in fines up to $290 per response.  It may even result in being placed on a “do not respond” status until the alarm user pays the fines, reinstates their permit, and obtains proof from their alarm company that the alarm was inspected and was found to be in good working order.

Read more about alarm related fines here.

For additional information on false alarm reduction, the permitting procedure and billing information, contact the Oxnard Police Alarm Administrator at (805) 385-7672, or at [email protected].

Information about the alarm permit process can be found here.

Everyone operating a professionally installed/monitored alarm inside the City limits is required to maintain an alarm permit.

To REGISTER / RENEW your alarm permit, VIEW & UPDATE account and reporting party information, or PAY your fees, visit: https://fams.wincitex.com/City/oxnard.

The annual registration fee is currently $25 per year.

No, car alarms do not need to be registered.

No.  You would need to get a permit if your alarm system is professionally installed/monitored.  However, you are still subject to police responses caused by false alarm activations.

Oxnard’s alarm ordinance requires that alarm monitoring companies attempt to call a minimum of two (2) predesignated phone numbers BEFORE calling police dispatch to request a police response.

Because of this, it is important that security alarm system owners contact their alarm service and provide them with their designated contact information.

Please note that this enhanced call requirement is not required for panic/duress/takeover/robbery alarms.  Enhanced call confirmation is a contemporary practice that is proven to reduce law enforcement responses to false alarms.

Oxnard Alarm Ordinance, Section 11-63 (Q) defines a false alarms as:  “Alarms, to which responding personnel, having investigated the alarm site, find no evidence of a situation requiring a response by such personnel, or except for an alarm based on fire or medical emergency, find that the alarm site contains one or more unsecured exterior doors or windows.  A false alarm includes an alarm caused by a power outage, but does not include an alarm caused by a force majeure or an extraordinary condition not reasonably within the control of the alarm business or alarm user. False alarms include situations involving an authorized person or persons at the alarm location who do not use the proper alarm code.”

Yes, they are a drain on public safety resources!   

Studies across the nation have estimated that about 98% of alarm calls received by communications centers are false alarms.   During 2018, the Oxnard Police Department responded to 4,823 alarm calls (3,103 commercial and 1,720 residential).  Oxnard’s alarm call rates bear this out: 99.3% of commercial alarms and residential alarms in 2018 were false. Given the high percentage of false alarms, it is clear that the Police Department’s response to false alarms, and the time spent investigating these calls is an inefficient use of resources and time.  At any given time of the day, these calls compete with other calls for service.

False alarms are defined as being excessive when more than one (1) police response to a false alarm occurs during a twelve (12) month period.  Alarm users can be fined $145 for the second false alarm within a twelve month period, and $145 for each one within a twelve month period.

• Malfunctioning alarm systems

• An overly-sensitive system that activates when persons rattle a door or window

• Owner, visitor, real estate agents, cleaning crews, or other employee error in disarming the alarm system (most often not knowing the disarm code).

• Doors or windows left open or ajar

• Animals locked inside and moving about the premises

• Mail being dropped through a door mail-drop slot

• Power outages coupled with an improper battery backup system

• Telephone line problems

• Drapes or balloons blowing in the breeze

• Improperly secured doors or windows blown open by wind

Thirty (30) days.

If an alarm user does not pay the fine within sixty (60) days for excessive false alarm fees and penalties, the City will suspend the alarm user’s permit.  A suspension of an alarm user’s permit includes the suspension of police responses to burglary alarm calls to the site. In addition:

Absent a written request to their alarm service and the Alarm Administrator that indicates otherwise,  the suspension of an alarm user’s permit will not discontinue dispatch responses to the alarm site for robbery, panic, and duress alarms.  

All police alarm-generated responses to the alarm site whose permit has been suspended shall be treated and fined as the equivalent of a response to an excessive false alarm, regardless of circumstance or call disposition. That’s a $145 fine per alarm response.

If you receive a notice of suspension, you have the right to a hearing.

In such cases, the alarm user’s permit for that location may be revoked. Any alarm-generated police response to an alarm site that has a suspended permit will result in a $145 fine per response.

Absent a written request to their alarm service and the Alarm Administrator that indicates otherwise,  the revocation of an alarm user’s permit will not discontinue dispatch responses to the alarm site for robbery, panic, and duress alarms.  

All police alarm dispatch responses to the alarm site whose permit has been revoked shall be treated and fined as the equivalent of a response to an excessive false alarm, regardless of circumstance or call disposition. That’s a $290 fine per alarm response!

You will have to reapply for a new permit, pay  all due fines and penalties, and submit a letter from your alarm business.  The letter must indicate that the alarm business inspected the alarm system, found that the alarm system is in proper condition, and complies with the standards contained in this article.  The letter must be submitted to the Alarm Administrator.

Yes, if you disagree, the ordinance does have an appeal provision.

Oxnard’s alarm ordinance now requires alarm businesses to attempt to contact a minimum of two (2) pre-designated alarm client phone numbers before contacting the police department.  This practice is known as “Enhanced Call Confirmation.” This process does not apply to robbery alarms, panic alarms, duress alarms, gun stores, banks, pharmacies, and other specific locations determined by the Police Chief.