Alarm Permits

Burglar alarm permits

In 2014, the Sacramento Police Department (SPD) received 21,185 calls from alarm companies asking for police to be dispatched to a residence or business due to an alarm or motion sensor activation. Of these calls, only 2% or 519 were actual crimes, resulting in police response to numerous false alarms. An officer responding to a false alarm means that officer is not available to be dispatched to a real emergency.

Who needs an alarm user permit?

In an effort to reduce the number of false alarms, Sacramento City Code Chapter 8.36 requires alarm users to obtain an Alarm User Permit, and alarm companies to obtain an Alarm Company Permit. Individuals who purchase, possess, or install residential/business video-monitoring devices which are not connected to, or do not signal Sacramento Police Dispatchers, are not required to obtain an alarm user permit from the City of Sacramento prior to installation or use of the device.

However, individuals who purchase or possess residential/business monitoring devices, and who subscribe to any service through the device which provides a connection to, or indirectly signals Sacramento Police Dispatchers through a professional monitoring service, must obtain an alarm user permit, prior to installation and/or use of the devices, via an application which may be found on the City of Sacramento Police Department Alarm Permit website, pursuant to Sacramento City Code section 8.36.200.

What qualifies as a false alarm?

SPD considers it a false alarm when a police officer responds to, and cannot find evidence of, a crime or an attempted crime that could have caused the alarm activation. Additionally, if the officer is unable to access the site to determine if a crime or an attempted crime has been committed, the alarm will be considered a false alarm.

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