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False
Alarms
It's Alarming!
We need your help to reduce the waste
of our City tax dollars. The El Paso Police Department receives more
than 20,000 alarm calls each year, 99% of which are false and 78%
of those are caused by human error. It is estimated that responding
to these false alarms costs the city of El Paso approximately $1
million annually and the Police Department expends an average of
36 personal hours each day responding to these false alarms. If you
own a residence or business and have a security or burglar alarm
system, please insure that the system is functioning properly, all
users are properly trained, and, in the event of a mistake or malfunction,
users know how to cancel a false alarm.
Area Crime Prevention Officers are available at your Regional
Command Center for onsite alarm inspections. Contact your local Regional
Command.
Contact the City of El Paso Licensing Section located at 2 Civic
Center Plaza (City Hall 9th floor) to apply for your Security Alarm
System Permit today! Or Call (915) 541-4600 or 541-4700 for more
information.
You may also complete the Security
Alarm Permit Application-PDF and
returning the original to:
City of El Paso
Permits / License Section
2 Civic Center Plaza
El Paso, TX 79901-1196
*please make checks payable to: City of El Paso
False Alarm Prevention Checklist
___ I stay updated and aware of City Alarm Ordinance
(Permits, fees, etc.)
___ I know how to cancel accidental alarm activation
___ I have the cancellation code
___ I have a summary operating sheet/manual to my alarm
system
___ I know where the main control panel and transformer are
located
___ I know how to turn off motion detectors while leaving
other sensors on
___ The length of the delay time on designated entry/exit
doors will provide sufficient time to get in and out of the premises
___ I understand it is critical to assure that all users of
the system (such as residents, employees, guests, cleaning people, and repair
people) are trained on the proper use of the system
___ I have used the training / no dispatch period (check
with your alarm company)
___ I understand how the alarm company will
communicate with me in the event of various alarm signals
___ I understand the importance of immediately advising the
alarm company if my personal phone number and emergency contact information
changes
___ I keep my alarm company updated on changes to my
telephone services such as call waiting or fax lines
___ I understand that indoor pets can cause false alarms; I
have contacted my alarm company to adjust the system if I have acquired any
additional indoor pets
___ I understand that certain building defects (such as
loose fitting doors, windows, rodents, inadequate power, roof leaks, etc) can
cause false alarms
___ I advise my alarm company of any remodeling (such as
extensive painting, moving walls, doors or windows)
Alarm
Ordinance
Effective
September 1, 2005, changes to Chapter 5.90 — Security Alarm Systems
will be implemented. Below
are some
of the changes that may affect you, as an alarm user:
1. The
Police Department will now require that your alarm system have a VALID
ALARM PERMIT issued by the City’s Licensing Department (541-4115) before
a police officer will respond to a request from your alarm monitoring
company, unless evidence of a crime or emergency is presented.
2. Security
Alarm Permits are now required to be RENEWED ANNUALLY.
If
you have a valid alarm permit issued after January 1, 1998, the City
Licensing Department will notify you by mail of your
renewal date. If your permit was issued before January 1998 you
must renew your alarm permit before October 31, 2005.
3.
The PENALTY FOR EXCESSIVE FALSE ALARMS HAS BEEN INCREASED and the number
considered excessive decreased:
a. $50.00, if
the location has had more than three but fewer than six other false alarms
in the preceding 12-month period;
b. $75.00, if
the location has had more than five but fewer than eight other false
alarms in the preceding 12-month period;
c. $100.00, if
the location has had eight or more other false alarms in the preceding
12-month period.
4.
Before the police will respond to your alarm, your monitoring company
must attempt to verify your alarm by calling you first, if there is no
answer, a second time . This does not apply to holdup, panic, or
duress alarms as defined in Section 5.90.050 of the El Paso Municipal
Code. If there is no response or confirmation in the initial verification
attempt, an alarm business or its representative, shall make a second
verification attempt to the Alarm Site and/or Alarm User to determine
whether an alarm signal is valid before requesting law enforcement dispatch.
For
more information on alarm ordinance view the Municipal Code by clicking http://ordlink.com/codes/elpaso/index.htm and
go to Title 5 Business Taxes, Licenses and Regulations or you may
contact:
Officer
Greg Furr
Alarm
Enforcement Officer
911
N. Raynor Street
El
Paso, Texas 79903
Phone:915-564-7172
Email:
furrg@elpasotexas.gov
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