Council OKs Fines for False Alarms

City residents and businesses whose alarm systems go off accidentally more than two times a year will now be fined.

After hearing that deputies from the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station spend a large portion of their days checking for nonexistent burglars and intruders, the City Council unanimously voted Wednesday night to establish a fee for false alarms.

Lost Hills Operations Lt. Jim Glazer said deputies spent about 30% of their time responding to false alarm calls last year. City officials said there were 354 false alarms recorded during a three-month period last fall.

Mayor Pro Tem Marvin Lopata said part of the problem is user carelessness, such as not shutting an outside door correctly, only to have it opened by the wind.

But Glazer added faulty equipment to the list of reasons for false alarms.

“Frequently, it is the same alarm,” he said. “And it will continue to have a problem until it gets fixed. The person with the alarm seems to need some motivation” to fix it.

The ordinance is designed to give homeowners and business owners that motivation.

There is no fine for the first two false alarms, though residents will receive a warning letter. The third incident carries at $50 fine, and all subsequent offenses within one year bring a $75 fine.

A false alarm is described in the ordinance as the activation of an alarm system through mechanical or electrical failure, improper installation or maintenance or the neglect of the owner, lessee or employees or agents. It does not apply to those caused by extremely high winds, earthquakes or other uncontrollable acts of nature.

Officials hope most false alarm problems will end with the first letter.

“If you educate people and you tell them what our police resources are being spent on, they would be appalled that [deputies] are spending this time going to these people’s homes,” Lopata said.