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AGENDA
Public Safety Committee Regular Meeting
4:00 PM - Monday, November 5, 2018
Council Conference Room, 7th Floor, City Hall – 1055 S. Grady Way
1. False Alarm Ordinance
a) Presentation
b) Draft Ordinance
2. Emerging Issues in Public Safety
Reduction
City of Renton
FALSE ALARM
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
OBJECTIVE OF ALARM POLICY
•Reduce false alarm calls
•Hold irresponsible alarm system owners accountable
•Allow for more equitable police coverage for all Renton residents AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
WHY CHANGE?
PREVIOUS PROGRAM
False alarm program software became obsolete-No updates availableSignificant drain on Staff time
Police-one police secretary, 4 days each month
Finance-one Accounting Assistant 2.5 days each monthWas not effective in reducing false alarms
False Alarms have increased 30% since 2010 AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
LOCAL ALARM ISSUES
98% or more of alarm activations are falseFalse Alarms make up app. 5% of all police calls for service (Renton PD 2016)20% of alarm systems trigger 80% of all false alarms (national estimate)75% of all false alarms are human error AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
COST IMPACT TO THE CITY
2014 2015 2016Average Burdened Hourly Rate $58.45 $58.92 $59.95Number of Alarms/Year 3239 3713 3460Total Response Time/Alarm 0.05 0.05 0.05Number of Officers/Alarm 2 2 2Total Officer Hours Responding 3239 3713 3460Staff time to process (Average)28,992 29,223 29,738
Valleycom Dispatch Costs 107,955 124,756 120,062Average Total Cost/Year $326,252.39 $372,761.77 $357,235.79Average City Cost per Alarm $100.72 $100.39 $103.24 AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
IMPACT ON RENTON RESIDENTS
Cry Wolf’s Calculation:
•Alarmed locations represent app. 6% of Renton’s population
•1.2% of Renton residents account for false alarm calls and are depleting police resources
•98.8% of Renton’s residents who do not have alarms or are responsible alarm owners are receiving unequal service AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
FEE SCHEDULES
One Time registration Fee $25
Annual Registration Renewal N/C
First False Alarm in a registration year*N/C
Second false Alarm in a registration year*$100
Third or more False Alarm in a registration year*$250
Late payment Fee $25
Unregistered Alarm System Fee $50
* A registration year shall mean January 1 through December 31 each year.AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
REDUCTION EXAMPLES
SELECTED WESTERN FALSE ALARM MANAGEMENT SERVICE RESULTS
AFTER VS. BEFORE CRYWOLF
AGENCY POPULATION # FALSE
ALARMS
# PERMITS AVERAGE # FALSE ALARMS
PER ALARM SYSTEM
(FALSE ALARM RATE)
COLLECTION
RATE
Auburn, WA 74,000 -60% 125% -68% (.63 to .20) 93%
Mountain View, CA 80,000 -48% 133% -61% (.71 to .28) 88%
Roseville, CA 125,000 -22% 135% -42% (.51 to .29) 94%
Salinas, CA 154,000 -42% 108% -47% (.53 to .28) 77%
Spokane, WA 210,000 -74% 169% -85% (1.08 to 0.17) 94%
Spokane Valley, WA 91,000 -28% 198% -63% (.76 to .28) 93%
Bakersfield 310,000 -47% 135% -61% (.97 to .38) 80%
West Sacramento 47,000 -35% 136% -52% (.98 to .47) 74%
Los Altos 28,000 -45% 134% -59% (1.1 to .45) 95% AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
CRY WOLF PROGRAM FEATURES
•Parent Company Established 1999
•Revenue Share business model
•Used in agencies up to 4,000,000 population
•(City of L.A. and Harris County, TX)
•Completely Automated
•Cloud Based
•No IT required beyond providing internet access
•Completely tailored to Renton's needs
•Non-English speaking phone, mail, e mail, text, TTY and video support (175 languages)
•If desired, will handle all aspects of program management including registration, billing, statements appeals and collections
•Alarm activity reporting AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
ORDINANCE
Discussion
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
1
CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON
ORDINANCE NO. ________
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, REPEALING AND
REPLACING CHAPTER 6-3 OF THE RENTON MUNICIPAL CODE, AMENDING ALARM
SYSTEM REGULATIONS, AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND ESTABLISHING
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, excessive false alarms unduly burden the City of Renton Police Department’s
limited law enforcement resources; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this ordinance is to establish reasonable expectations of alarm
users, and alarm companies, and to ensure that alarm users are held responsible for their use of
Alarm Systems; and
WHEREAS, excessive false alarms constitute a public nuisance; and
WHEREAS, establishing an alarm registration system helps the City of Renton distribute
its limited emergency response resources in a way that maximizes the public benefit; and
WHEREAS, the Council deems it necessary to replace the current RMC Chapter 6-3
(Burglar Alarms) relating to false alarm regulations; and
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, DO
ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. Chapter 6-3 of the Renton Municipal Code is repealed in its entirety and
replaced with the following language:
CHAPTER 3
ALARM SYSTEM REGULATIONS
SECTION:
6-3-1: Purpose
6-3-2: Definitions
6-3-3: Authority; Funds
6-3-4: Alarm Registration Required
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
ORDINANCE NO. ________
2
6-3-5: Duties Of An Alarm User
6-3-6: Duties Of An Alarm Company
6-3-7: Violations
6-3-8: Suspension Of Response
6-3-9: Reinstatement Of Response
6-3-10: Appeals Process
6-3-1 PURPOSE:
It is the intent of this chapter to reduce the number of false alarms occurring
within the City and to minimize the resulting waste of City resources by providing
for corrective administrative action to hold alarm users and alarm companies
responsible for proper use of Alarm Systems. False Alarms are an unnecessary
burden on the City’s resources, and are hereby declared to be a public nuisance,
subject to abatement pursuant to RMC 1-3. The City reserves its right to punish
Alarm Users who violate this chapter, as well as take remedial action under the
City’s code enforcement authority in order to minimize the burden created by
False Alarms. Alarm registration is not intended to, nor will it, create a contract,
duty or obligation, either expressed or implied, of response by the Renton Police
Department. Any and all liability and consequential damage resulting from the
failure to respond to a notification is hereby disclaimed and governmental
immunity as provided by law is retained. By applying for an alarm registration, the
alarm user acknowledges that the Renton Police Department’s response may be
influenced by several factors, including: the availability of police officers, priority
of calls, weather conditions, traffic conditions, emergency conditions, staffing
levels, and prior response history.
6-3-2 DEFINITIONS:
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
ORDINANCE NO. ________
3
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the
meanings ascribed to them, except where the context clearly indicates a different
meaning:
A. Alarm Company: Person or company, firm, and/or a company engaged in
the selling, leasing, installing, servicing or monitoring Alarm Systems.
B. Alarm Dispatch Request: A notification to a law enforcement agency that
an alarm, either manual or automatic, has been activated at a particular alarm
site, which results in a request for law enforcement action.
C. Alarm Registration: A registration of an alarm user notifying the City of the
operation of an Alarm System.
D. Alarm Signal: A detectable signal, audible or visual, generated by an Alarm
System, which is intended to elicit a response from the City.
E. Alarm System: Any single device or assembly of equipment designed to
signal the occurrence of an illegal or unauthorized entry, or other illegal activity
requiring immediate attention, and to which law enforcement is requested to
respond by an alarm company, but does not include motor vehicle or boat alarms,
fire alarms, or alarms designated to elicit a medical response.
F. Alarm User: Any person, corporation, partnership, proprietorship,
government, or educational entity or any other entity owning, leasing, possessing,
or operating an Alarm System, or on whose premises an Alarm System is
maintained for the protection of such premises.
G. City: The City of Renton, Washington, or its designee.
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
ORDINANCE NO. ________
4
H. False Alarm: An alarm signal that triggers a response by the City and, in
responding, the City discovers no evidence of a crime being committed or
attempted on the property served by the Alarm System.
I. Registration Year: A twelve (12)-month period beginning on January 1st of
each year which the alarm registration is issued.
J. Runaway Alarm: An Alarm System that produces repeated alarm signals
that do not appear to be caused by separate human action or that produces three
(3) separate false alarm signals within a twenty-four (24) hour period.
K. Violator: Any alarm user that violates any provisions under this chapter
including but not limited to any alarm user upon whose property a false alarm
occurs.
6-3-3 AUTHORITY:
A. Responsibility for administration of this chapter is vested with the Chief of
Police, or designee.
B. The Chief of Police has the authority to contract with a third party to assist
with the enforcement and administration of the City’s rights and responsibilities
delineated by this chapter.
6-3-4 ALARM REGISTRATION REQUIRED:
A. Application: No person shall own, lease or operate an Alarm System
without first registering such Alarm System with the City. A separate alarm
registration is required for each alarm site. A fee is required for the initial alarm
registration. No fee will be charged for annual renewals. Each alarm registration
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
ORDINANCE NO. ________
5
shall be assigned a unique number, and the alarm user or Alarm Company may be
required to provide the registration number to facilitate law enforcement
dispatch and enforcement of this chapter. Each alarm user has a duty to obtain an
application from the City and register on a form provided by the City or its
designee within thirty (30) days of activating the Alarm System, or for existing
Alarm Systems, within thirty (30) days of the ordinance establishing this
registration requirement. Each alarm registration shall expire on December 31 of
the year issued and must be renewed annually by submitting an updated
application to the City. Failure to renew registration prior to expiration is a
violation of this Chapter subject to an unregistered alarm fee. An alarm
registration cannot be transferred to another person or alarm site.
B. Transfer of Possession: When the occupancy or possession of the
premises at which an Alarm System is maintained is transferred, the alarm user
obtaining possession of the property shall register the Alarm System with the City
within thirty (30) days of obtaining possession of the property. Alarm registrations
are not transferable.
C. Reporting Updated Information: Whenever any information provided on
the alarm registration changes, the alarm user shall provide correct information
to the City within thirty (30) days of the change.
D. Failure to Register, Renew, or Update Information: Failure to initially
obtain or renew a registration under this chapter or report any updated
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
ORDINANCE NO. ________
6
information as required by this Section shall result in a Unregistered Alarm System
Ffee as set forth in the City of Renton Fee Schedule.
6-3-5 DUTIES OF AN ALARM USER:
A. Comply with all applicable provisions of this chapter;
B. Maintain the premises and the Alarm System in a manner that will reduce
or eliminate false alarms;
C. Provide the registration number to the alarm company to facilitate
dispatch;
D. Refrain from manually activating an alarm for any reason other than the
occurrence of an event that the Alarm System was intended to report. An alarm
user must not manually initiate an alarm signal unless the user reasonably believes
a crime or attempted crime is occurring;
E. Register each Alarm System and renew such registration(s) annually;
F. Update the City with any changes to information contained on an alarm
registration within thirty (30) days of the change.
G. Failure of alarm user to comply with the duties of this chapter may result
in a fee as set forth in the City of Renton Fee Schedule.
6-3-6 DUTIES OF AN ALARM COMPANY:
A. Any person or entity engaged in the alarm business within the City should
comply with the following:
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
ORDINANCE NO. ________
7
1. Attempt to verify the alarm by calling the alarm site and/or alarm user by
telephone, to determine whether an alarm is valid before requesting
dispatch.
2. Communicate any available information about the location of the alarm.
3. Communicate a cancellation to the law enforcement communications
center as soon as possible following a determination that a response is
unnecessary.
B. Prior to activation of the Alarm System, the alarm company should provide
to each alarm user:
1. Instructions explaining the proper operation of the Alarm System; and
2. Written information of how to obtain service from the alarm company
for the Alarm System.
6-3-7 VIOLATIONS:
A. Any violation of this chapter is hereby declared to be a public nuisance,
subject to abatement and/or punishment in accordance with RMC 1-3. In addition
to any remedies or penalties prescribed by RMC 1-3, fees shall be charged:
1. For a false alarm to occur on an alarm user’s property;
2. To install, maintain, or use an audible Alarm System which sounds
continually for more than fifteen (15) minutes;
3. To install, maintain, or use an automatic dial protection device that
reports, or causes to be reported, any recorded message to the Renton Police
Department or 9-1-1;
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
ORDINANCE NO. ________
8
4. To fail to timely register an Alarm System;
5. To fail to provide updated information to the City as described in this
chapter; or
6. To fail to comply with any other requirement of this chapter.
B. Any violation of this chapter shall result in a fee, as determined by the City
of Renton Fee Schedule.
6-3-10 APPEALS:
A. If the City assesses a fee, suspends, denies, or fails to renew the alarm
registration, the City or its designee shall send written notice of the action and a
statement of the right to appeal to the Alarm User.
B. Any Alarm User may appeal an assessment of a fee, a suspension of an
alarm registration, or other enforcement action to the City by mailing the appeal
to the address as shown on the notice within fifteen (15) days after receipt of the
notice. The appeal must set forth in writing the reasons for the appeal and any
evidence that should be considered. The failure to give notice of appeal within
fifteen (15) days shall constitute a waiver of the right to contest the violation(s) or
enforcement action(s).
C. If a hearing is requested, written notice of the time, place, and manner of
the hearing shall be mailed to the address of the Alarm User as contained in the
alarm registration, at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the hearing, which
shall be held no more than forty-five (45) days after the request for hearing is
received.
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
ORDINANCE NO. ________
9
D. The appeal shall be administered by the Chief of Police or his/her designee
(Hearing Officer). The Alarm User and a representative of the Police Department
shall have the right to present written and/or oral evidence. If the Hearing Officer
determines, after the presentation of evidence, that any violations have occurred,
the Hearing Officer shall issue written findings and record the findings in the alarm
user’s record within thirty (30) days, and the fees shall be ordered to be paid. If
the Hearing Officer determines that no violation has been committed, the fee, if
already paid, shall be refunded within thirty (30) days, and no finding of violation
may be entered on the alarm user’s record.
E. The appeal decision made by the Hearing Officer may be appealed to the
King County Superior Court within thirty (30) calendar days from the date the
decision is issued.
SECTION II. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or work of this
ordinance should be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court or competent jurisdiction,
such invalidity or unconstitutionality thereof shall not affect the constitutionality of any other
section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word of this ordinance.
SECTION III. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect February 1, 2019, but no
earlier than thirty (30) days after publication of a summary of this ordinance in the City’s official
newspaper. The summary shall consist of this ordinance’s title.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this _______ day of ___________________, 2018.
Jason A. Seth, City Clerk
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
ORDINANCE NO. ________
10
APPROVED BY THE MAYOR this _______ day of _____________________, 2018.
Denis Law, Mayor
Approved as to form:
Shane Moloney, City Attorney
Date of Publication:
ORD:2006:6/20/18:scr
AGENDA ITEM #1. b)