What is a false alarm?
A false alarm means that police units were dispatched to a location with an active monitored alarm device to determine whether there is evidence of a crime or other activity on the premises that would warrant a call for immediate police assistance or investigation and when the police unit arrives, there is no criminal activity occurring or no evidence of recent criminal activity on the premises. An alarm shall be presumed to be false if responding officers do not locate evidence of intrusion, commission of an unlawful act, or emergency on the premises that might have caused the alarm to sound.
How are false alarm fees assessed?
Effective January 1, 2025, false alarm fees will be billed to the monitoring alarm company for each occurrence as follows:
- First or Second Occurrence: $115
- Third or Fourth Occurrence: $215
- Fifth or Sixth Occurrence: $265
- Seventh or Subsequent Occurrence: $315
Is my first false alarm occurrence free?
No.
Is there a discounted fee for senior of disabled Citizens?
No.
Can an alarm company pass along the false alarm fee to the customer?
Yes the alarm companies may choose to pass along the false alarm fee to their subscribers.
Why doesn’t the City charge the fee directly to the customer?
National and local statistics have proven that raising fines paid directly by homeowners and businesses have had no significant impact on reducing the number of false alarms. Alarm-monitoring companies have enjoyed the benefit of police response to their customers' alarms without any accountability for the accuracy or reliability of those alarms.
Tacoma’s intent with this law is to hold alarm-monitoring companies accountable for false alarms, education to their customers to reduce false alarms, and to reduce the number of unnecessary police and fire responses.
How do I dispute a false alarm fee?
If you feel that a false alarm fee has been assessed incorrectly, please contact your alarm company. Alarm companies are required to dispute false alarms on their customer’s behalf by submitting a written request within 60 calendar days from the fee assessment date.
For commercial premises, the request must include time-stamped audio or video evidence showing human presence and a high probability that a criminal offense was in progress. Please note that alarms triggered solely by sensor or motion activation will not qualify as supporting evidence for fee cancellation. If supporting evidence is not provided, the review request will be dismissed.
What are the fees and consequences for multiple false alarms?
If your premises has three or more false alarms in a calendar year, the false alarm fee increases. Additionally, if your premises has more than four false alarms in a year, one or more of the following may occur:
- No Response to Alarm: The City may issue a "No Response" designation, which suspends police response for a 12-month period (excluding hold-up, robbery, and panic alarms).
- Private Security Responsibility: During a "No Response" period, the alarm operator or user will need to arrange for private security if necessary.
What is Enhanced Call Confirmation (ECC)?
ECC is a process that alarm operators must follow to verify an alarm before calling the police. It's not needed if the system has live video/audio showing a crime in progress or if someone on-site reports a crime. If the first contact attempt fails, a second attempt must be made, unless the alarm is for a fire, panic, robbery, or is already verified.
What is required for alarm confirmation before police are called?
An alarm monitoring company must verify the alarm before requesting police. This can be done in one of these ways:
1. Phone Confirmation: The alarm operator contacts someone at the premises who confirms a possible crime is in progress.
2. Real-Time Video/Audio: The premises has live video or audio showing evidence of a crime.
3. Two Zones Triggered: The alarm system confirms two zones have been triggered, and the alarm operator completes Enhanced Call Confirmation (ECC).
4. Older Systems: For older systems, the alarm operator must still complete ECC and receive two or more signals within ten minutes.
What is a verified alarm?
A verified alarm is an electronic security system event in which a trained central station operator utilizing a standardized protocol has determined the presence of human(s) and the high probability that a criminal offense is in progress.
How can I obtain more information regarding the false alarm incident?
You can fill out a public records request at the South Sound 911 website at southsound911.org/public-records-requests/ or go to the South Sound 911 public counter located at 945 Tacoma Ave. S, Tacoma WA 98402.
Alarm Permit Information
Do Tacoma residences or businesses need an alarm permit or license?
No. Alarm companies are responsible for paying a $40 annual device fee for each of their subscribers alarm systems.
What if I switch alarm companies?
The City of Tacoma allows subscribers to switch alarm companies without charging the new monitoring company a device fee if the device fee was paid within the calendar year by the previous alarm company.
Can the alarm companies pass along the fee to their customer?
Yes the alarm company may choose to pass along the alarm device fee to their subscribers.