False Alarms Lead to Real Problems for Oxnard

By Chair of the Board Stacy Miller

​Would you be surprised to learn that 99% of all security alarm calls in Oxnard during 2018 were actually false alarms? Business and commercial false alarms totaled 3,103 and residential false alarms totaled 1,720. 
 
As the use of commercial and residential security alarm systems increases, so has the incidence of false alarms. False alarms cost police departments across the country more than the time and resources spent on response; they divert attention and resources away from genuine law enforcement needs. 

When our police officers respond to a false alarm, it competes with real emergency calls for service. It is also expensive and an inefficient use of the Oxnard Police Department’s time and resources.
 
To help reduce the number of false alarms and promote alarm user responsibility, the City of Oxnard adopted a new ordinance which calls for fines to alarm users who generate excessive alarm call responses.  Excessive is defined as the occurrence of two or more false alarms, generated by an alarm user’s alarm system within a 12-month period. 
 
The fine is $145 for the second false alarm and each one thereafter within a year’s time period. Locations with over five false alarm responses in a 12-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.
 
If your Oxnard-based business or home has a security alarm, you’d better also have a security alarm permit; a requirement of a city ordinance that costs $25 a year. Alarm users without a valid permit and have an alarm-generated police response to their site will be subject to a fine.  You can download the alarm permit application at: www.oxnardpd.org/alarm-permits.
 
If you accidentally activate your security alarm at your home or business, you should contact your alarm company immediately if they do not call you. If you cannot recite the property’s password or code word over the phone to the alarm operator, the police will be dispatched. 
 
Let’s all do our part to help reduce the number of false alarms in our community so that our fine Oxnard Police Department can be available to quickly respond to real emergencies.
 
For more information regarding the alarm program, contact the Oxnard Police Alarm Administrator at (805) 385-7672 or at alarms@oxnardpd.org.

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