Studies have consistently shown that 98 percent of the alarms to which police respond are false. The major cause of false alarms is user error—usually both opening or closing errors—and improper maintenance. Each alarm response requires a minimum of two patrol officers and averages 15 minutes per officer, per alarm. This equates to thousands of hours of Montebello PD time diverted away from actual police work. These false alarms negatively influence the overall safety of the community, leaving officers with diminished time to respond to actual emergencies. In order to reduce the number of false alarms and increase time for police officers to respond to actual emergencies and other legitimate calls for service, the City of Montebello has an Alarm Ordinance (Title 8, Chapter 8.24).
Every residence or business operating an alarm system in Montebello must obtain a permit. Permits are valid for one (1) year from the issue date and must be renewed annually. The costs of these permits are listed below.
| |
New Permit |
Renewal Permit |
| Commercial: |
$75 |
$54 |
| Residential: |
$75 |
$54 |
| 65+ Residential: |
$25 |
$25 |
| Schools & Government: |
EXEMPT |
EXEMPT |
The alarm ordinance encourages the accountability and responsibility of alarm users by charging alarm owners for false alarms. False alarms are accumulated within a 12-month permit year based on the start and Permit date.
| False Alarm Occurrence |
Fines |
| 1 |
$0 |
| 2 |
$0 |
| 3+ |
$304 |
The Montebello Police Department - Alarm Reduction Program website can be found
here — read the entire
ordinance, visit the
FAQ page and review the
false alarm fee schedule. If you receive a false alarm bill you can manage your account and pay fees
online.
The Montebello Police Department has partnered with Alarm Program Systems to help implement, manage and administer the ordinance. For any questions related to the City of Montebello’s Alarm Reduction Program, please contact the Montebello PD at (323) 887-1209.
Those of you that currently have permits will receive renewal letters this month. Billing for false alarms will only go back to January of 2020.
Contact Details Alarm Program Systems / City Support:
Website:
https://montebelloca.citysupport.org
Phone: 888-865-9770
Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM PT
Email:
[email protected]
Mailing Address: Montebello Police Department-Alarm Reduction Program
P.O. Box 6112
Concord, CA 94523
For more imformation regarding our alarm program, click on this link
https://montebelloca.citysupport.org
