Fresno Municipal Code Art. 8 Public Safety Alarm Systems

This article shall be referred to as the Public Safety Alarm System Ordinance. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).

The purpose of this article is to set forth regulations governing burglary, robbery, fire and medical alarm systems within the city; to reduce false alarms; to require registration certificates therefor; and to provide the authority to establish fees. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).

(a) General. Unless the particular provision or the context otherwise requires, the definitions and provisions contained in this section shall govern the construction, meaning and application of words and phrases used in this article and, except to the extent that a particular word or phrase is otherwise specifically defined in this section, the definitions and provisions contained in Article 2 of Chapter 1 of this Code shall govern the construction, meaning and application of words and phrases used in this article. The definitions of each word or phrase shall constitute, to the extent applicable, the definition of each word or phrase which is derivative from it, or from which it is a derivative, as the case may be.

(b) Alarm agent. The term "alarm agent" means any person who is registered as an alarm agent with the Bureau of Collection and Investigative Services, pursuant to the provisions of Division 3, Chapter 11.6 of the Business and Professions Code and doing business as such within the corporate limits of the City of Fresno.

(c) Alarm company operator. The term "alarm company operator" means any person licensed as an alarm company operator by the Bureau of Collection and Investigative Services, pursuant to the provisions of Division 3, Chapter 11.6 of the Business and Professions Code and doing business as such within the corporate limits of the City of Fresno.

(d) Alarm Officer. The term "Alarm Officer" means, with regard to burglary or robbery alarm systems, the Chief of Police of the City of Fresno, and with regard to fire or medical assistance alarms, the Fire Chief of the City of Fresno.

(e) Alarm system. The term "alarm system" means any mechanical or electrical device which is designed or used for the detection of burglary, robbery, fire, or need for medical assistance within a building, structure or facility, or for alerting others to the commission of an unlawful act or hazard within a building, structure or facility, or both; which emits a sound or transmits a signal or message when actuated; and which is designed to elicit a response from the Police Department or Fire Department. Alarm systems include, but are not limited to, direct-dial telephone devices, audible alarms and proprietor alarms. Devices which are not designed or used to register alarms that are audible, visible or perceptible outside of the protected building, structure or facility are not included within this definition. An alarm system includes all of the necessary equipment designed and installed for the detection of burglary, robbery, fire, need for medical assistance, or other hazard in a single building, structure or facility, or for alerting others of the commission of an unlawful act within a building, structure or facility, or both.

(f) Automatic Dialing Device. The term "automatic dialing device" means an alarm system which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by direct connection or otherwise, a prerecorded voice message or coded signal indicating the existence of an emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.

(g) Controller. The term "Controller" means the Controller and Finance Director of the City of Fresno.

(h) False Alarm. The term "false alarm" shall mean the activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation or negligence of the subscriber or of his employees or agents. The term "false alarm" shall not include alarms caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or other conditions that are clearly beyond the control of the alarm user.

(i) Subscriber. The term "subscriber" means any person who purchases, leases, contracts for, or otherwise obtains an alarm system or contracts for the servicing or maintenance of an alarm system.

(Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82; Am. Ord. 82-101, §§ 1, 2, eff. 10-15-82).

All alarm systems shall conform with the provisions of Division 5, Article 1, Chapter 11 of this Code, if applicable. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82; Am. Ord. 82-101, § 3, eff. 10-15-82).

(a) Registration required upon occurrence of False Alarm. Each subscriber whose alarm system sounds a "false alarm," as that term is defined in Subsection 10-803(h), shall file an alarm system registration with the Controller within ten days of such false alarm, and in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(b) Applications. An alarm system registration shall be filed with the Controller on forms provided by the Controller. The application shall be signed and verified by the subscriber and shall contain such information as may be deemed necessary by the Controller.

(c) Alarm requirement. The subscriber shall supply on his application for registration certificate the names, addresses and phone numbers of at least three persons to notify in the event of an alarm activation. If the subscriber has arranged for a service contract with a service company which operates on a twenty-four (24) hour basis, emergency telephone numbers of the service company shall be deemed to satisfy this requirement. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82; Am. Ord. 82-101, § 4, eff. 10-15-82; Am. Ord. 84-16, § 1, eff. 3-9-84).

Upon notification by the Alarm Officer that an alarm system is activated, the subscriber, his representative, or his alarm agent, shall immediately proceed to silence the alarm, and the silencing shall be completed within thirty minutes of such notification. Alternately, the alarm system may be equipped with an automatic shutoff device which shall silence the alarm within thirty minutes, thus eliminating the need for personal responses otherwise required by this section. Should an alarm fail to be silenced by any means described in this section within the time limits prescribed by this section, the Police Department shall have the authority to hire an alarm agent or alarm company operator to silence the alarm. All costs and expenses incurred by the Police Department in hiring an alarm agent or alarm company operator to silence the alarm shall be borne by the subscriber. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82; Am. Ord. 85-148, § 1, eff. 11-1-85).

(a) Audible Alarms Similar to Sirens. It is unlawful to install or maintain on the exterior or interior of a building an intrusion detection device or burglar alarm system which upon actuation emits a sound which is similar to sirens in use on emergency vehicles or in vehicles used for civil defense purposes.

(b) Direct Transmissions. No person shall use, install, or maintain an automatic dialing device that initiates transmission to any telephone assigned to any office or department of the City. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).

All alarm company operators and alarm agents shall register their name and file a copy of their state identification card or registration certificate with the Controller. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).

Whenever any change occurs relating to any information required by this article, the person required to provide such information shall give written notice thereof to the Controller within ten days after such change. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).

Each subscriber shall maintain each alarm system in good working order, providing the necessary service to prevent false alarms, to prevent malfunctions endangering persons or property, and to prevent other malfunctions. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).

A subscriber shall reimburse the city for the cost of the police or fire department manpower and equipment response to each false alarm in an amount as designated in the Master Fee Resolution. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).

Editor's note— Ord. 2026-001, § 1, effective February 20, 2026, repealed § 10-812, which pertained to conditions on police response and derived from Added Ord. 88-8, § 8, effective February 12, 1988; Am. Ord. 88-155, § 1, effective January 20, 1989.

Any subscriber who wishes to appeal the reimbursement of costs required pursuant to Section 10-811 of this article may do so in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 1, Article 4 of this Code. If no appeal is filed within the time prescribed, the action of the Controller shall be final. (Am. Ord. 88-155, § 2, eff. 1-20-89, based on former Sec. 9-1011.1; Am. Ord. 98-65, § 26, eff. 10-1-98).

(a) Automobile Alarms. The provisions of this article shall not apply to audible alarms affixed to automobiles.

(b) Alarm Officer. The provisions of this article shall not apply to any alarm system installed or maintained by the Alarm Officer. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).

The conviction of punishment of any person for violation of the provisions of this article shall not release such person from paying the license fee or reimbursement for false alarms due and unpaid at the time of such conviction, nor shall payment of any fee or reimbursement for false alarms prevent criminal prosecution for violation of any of the provisions of this article. All remedies shall be cumulative and the use of one or more remedies by the city shall not bar the use of any other remedy. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).

The city shall be under no duty or obligation to a subscriber or to any other person by reason of any provision of this article or the exercise of privileges of a subscriber hereunder, including but not limited to any defects in an alarm system or any delays in transmission or response to any alarm. (Added Ord. 82-96, § 1, eff. 10-1-82).