7/2/2026
1 RiversideCA.gov1
RiversideCA.gov
City CouncilJuly 14,2026Riverside Police and Fire DepartmentsRiverside Municipal CodeChapter 9.60 Update RiversideCA.gov2
Riverside Municipal Code (RMC) 9.60:BACKGROUND•Chapter 9.60 originally established liability for false police reports and extraordinary police services.•On 10/21/2025 Council approved an amendment to the ordinance to hold owners and occupants of certain businesses and properties responsible for extraordinary use of fire and community and economic development services and responses.•Departments are frequently called upon to provide services and respond to emergency incidents that exceed what they normally provide or that are otherwise covered by user fees. •Extraordinary services arise when Departments are called upon to respond to emergency incidents that exceeds what they normally provide or that are otherwise covered by user fees. Purpose:
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2 RiversideCA.gov3
BACKGROUNDFire Department Amendments to Chapter 9.60 included Emergency incidents: responding to a hazardous material incident or emergency; an illegal fire; a threat of harm to oneself or others; any person obstructing, removing, tampering with or otherwise damaging any fire hydrant or city fire appliance; a structure demolition or utility line failure; water rescue attempts; a bomb threat; or any other incident where emergency medical, public safety, police, or community and economic development services are necessary. Extraordinary fire service response: defined as the response of fire/EMS crews to an emergency incident or dangerous properties; the response of fire/EMS crews to five or more false medical alarms within a one-year period; and the response of fire/EMS crews to the same property or business four or more times within a 30-day period.
RiversideCA.gov4
DISCUSSIONRiverside Fire Department ResponsibilityUnder Chapter 9.60, the Riverside Fire Department is responsible for:•Tracking repeated Fire and EMS responses to properties•Identifying incidents that meet the “extraordinary fire service” threshold•Providing incident data and operational analysis•Assisting with determining response costs•Supporting the City in addressing properties that repeatedly require emergency servicesExcessive False Medical Alarm Response:•The response of Fire/EMS crews to five or more false medical alarms within a one-year periodRepeated Emergency Response to a Single Location:•The Response of Fire/EMS crews to the same property or business five or more times within a 30-day period 7/2/2026
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DISCUSSIONThe response of Fire/EMS crews to five or more false medical alarms within a one-year period to a Single locationNumber of ResponsesAddressIncident Type543993 10thStreetUnintentional Transmission of AlarmData set 6/11/25 - 3/19/26 RiversideCA.gov6
DISCUSSIONThe response of Fire/EMS crews to the same property or business five or more times within a 30-day periodNumber of ResponsesAddressLocation182840 Hulen PlacePath of Life Shelter143024 Franklin AvenueIllumination Foundation139890 County Farm RoadFamily Services114800 Magnolia AvenueRiverside City College101299 Galleria at TylerGalleria at Tyler104000 Orange StreetCounty of Riverside910003 County Farm RoadSobering Center85900 Brockton AvenuePacific Grove Hospital88432 Magnolia AvenueCalifornia Baptist University8900 University AvenueUniversity California Riverside73021 Franklin AvenueFranklin Residential Care Facility63758 Jefferson Street Apt 25Jefferson Point Apartments64445 Magnolia AvenueRiverside Community Hospital65450 Victoria AvenuePoly High School69990 County Farm RoadETS53520 Tyler StreetTarget54361 Latham StreetDaVita Dialysis55350 La Sierra Avenue Apt 2Sierra Villa Apartments57140 Indiana AvenueNeighborhood Health Clinic160TotalData set 30-day period 1/29/26-2/28/26 7/2/2026
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DISCUSSIONThe response of Fire/EMS crews to the same property or business five or more times within a 30-day periodTotal Minutes CommittedUnit528S1518E4515S2297E3204E122062TotalNumber of ResponsesUnit27S226S123E413E312E1101TotalThe chart below shows the units most frequently dispatched to the identified incidents. Squad 2, Squad 1, and Engine 4 experienced the highest number of responses, demonstrating how repeated calls can disproportionately impact specific frontline resources and affect overall system availability.The chart below illustrates the total time units were committed to these incidents. Squad 1, Engine 4, and Squad 2 recorded the highest operational time, highlighting the cumulative resource commitment associated with repeated emergency responses and the potential system impacts consistent with the intent of Chapter 9.60.
RiversideCA.gov8
DISCUSSIONProjected Cost ImpactsExcessive False Medical Alarm Responses Cost Per Hour ImpactTotalCost per HourTime on CallUnit$1,542.69$205.007:31:31Squad 1$1,477.64$526.002:48:33Engine 1$547.54$574.000:57:14Truck 1$1,429.92Dispatch Cost ($26.48 per call)$4,997.79T otal$8,942.12Estimated False Medical Alarm Cost Per Hour (1 year)Repeated Emergency Responses to a Single Location Cost Per Hour ImpactTotalCost per HourTime on CallUnit$3833.10$205.0018:41:53Squads$17,638.10$526.0033:31:57Engines$3,644.43$574.006:21:01Trucks$4,395.68Dispatch Cost ($26.48 per call) @54 calls$29,511.31Repeated Emergency Responses to a Single Location Cost Per Hour (1 month) 7/2/2026
5 RiversideCA.gov9
BACKGROUNDPolice Department Definitions in Chapter 9.60Emergency response: means the dispatch of one or more police officers to a business or property for a disturbance at the property. A response to a security or fire alarm under Riverside Municipal Code Chapters 5.58 or 5.59 does not constitute an "emergency response" under this chapter.Extraordinary police service or response means any of the following: •The response of three or more police officers and a supervisor to a single emergency response; or•The second emergency response to the same business or property within a 30-day period; or•The third emergency response to the same business or property within a 90-day period.
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DISCUSSIONRiverside Police Department ResponsibilityUnder Chapter 9.60, the Riverside Police Department is responsible for:•Tracking repeated police responses to properties•Identifying incidents that meet the “extraordinary police service or response” threshold•Providing incident data and operational analysis•Assisting with determining response costs•Supporting the City in addressing properties that repeatedly require emergency servicesIncident Tracking:•Tracked through Motorola RMS Premier One CAD / RMS•Typically run for a particular address when complaints arise of nuisance activity•System not designed to run blanket searches based upon RMC 9.60 criteria•Doing so is labor intensive and includes addresses which required legitimate police services, where the property’s responsible person is typically the reporting party 7/2/2026
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DISCUSSIONThe response of three or more police officers and a supervisor to a single emergency response474total calls matching this criterion for the months of January - March 2026. Of those, 39 locations had 2 or more such responses, and 11 had 3 or more within the 3-month period, including: analyzed. Among those were:•The James Apts. 5 responses (3 Domestic Violence, Assist CPS, Welfare Check)•The Galleria at Tyler 4 responses (Assault, Shoplifting, and 2 Robberies)•Jurupa Royale Apts. 4 responses (Assist RFD, Assist CPS, Domestic Violence)•Esplanade at Riverwalk 3 responses (911 open line, and 2 Domestic Violence)•Parkview Hospital 3 responses (Subject Bothering)•Residence on 3rdSt 3 responses (5150, Subj w/ knife, Welfare Check)•Iowa Gardens Apts. 3 responses (2 Assaults, Supplemental Report)•Residence on Manx 3 responses (Assault, Welfare Check, & Assist other Dept.)•Riverside Comm Hosp. 3 responses (Assist RFD, Subj. Bothering, Suspicious Subj.)•Stater Bros Market 3 responses (Assault, Resist/ Obstruct Police, Injury) RiversideCA.gov12
DISCUSSIONThe second emergency response to the same business or property within a 30-day period•3,028total calls matching this criterion for the months of January - March 2026.•Locations with 20 or more responses were as follows:*Omitted from these addresses is a single-family residence with frequent responses related to a habitual runaway juvenile.ResponsesCommon PlaceLocationMonth38GALLERIA AT TYLER1299 GALLERIAJan-2635RCH4445 MAGNOLIA AVEJan-2630WSS10357 MAGNOLIA AVEJan-2627FOOD 4 LESS4250 VAN BUREN BLJan-2625ALTURA CREDIT UNION10725 MAGNOLIA AVEJan-2624RPD MAGNOLIA STATION10540 MAGNOLIA AVEJan-2623PCH3865 JACKSON STJan-2623RPD ORANGE ST STATION4102 ORANGE STJan-2634PCH3865 JACKSON STFeb-2631RCH4445 MAGNOLIA AVEFeb-2628RPD MAGNOLIA STATION10540 MAGNOLIA AVEFeb-2623ALTURA CREDIT UNION10725 MAGNOLIA AVEFeb-2623GALLERIA AT TYLER1299 GALLERIAFeb-2622FOOD 4 LESS4250 VAN BUREN BLFeb-2620WALMART SUPERCENTER6250 VALLEY SPRINGS Feb-26406T otal43TARGET3520 TYLER STMar-2636RCH4445 MAGNOLIA AVEMar-2631ALTURA CREDIT UNION10725 MAGNOLIA AVEMar-2625RPD MAGNOLIA STATION10540 MAGNOLIA AVEMar-2624GALLERIA AT TYLER1299 GALLERIAMar-2624WALMART SUPERCENTER6250 VALLEY SPRINGSMar-2623STARBUCKS5225 CANYON CRESTMar-2622OASIS SENIOR VILLAS2335 14TH STMar-2622STONEBROOK APTS4661 TYLER STMar-2622YUM YUM DONUTS5130 ARLINGTON AVEMar-2621KAISER URGENT CARE10800 MAGNOLIA AVEMar-2621WALGREENS1745 UNIVERSITY AVEMar-2621RPD ORANGE ST STATION4102 ORANGE STMar-2621FOOD 4 LESS4250 VAN BUREN BLVDMar-2620PCH3865 JACKSON STMar-26376T otal 7/2/2026
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DISCUSSIONThe third emergency response to the same business or property within a 90-day period•1,489 total calls matching this criterion for the months of January - March 2026.•Locations with 40 or more responses were as follows:*Omitted from these addresses is a single-family residence with frequent responses related to a habitual runaway juvenile.Total ResponsesCommon PlaceLocation102RCH4445 MAGNOLIA AVE85GALLERIA AT TYLER1299 GALLERIA AT TYLER79ALTURA CREDIT UNION10725 MAGNOLIA AVE77RPD MAGNOLIA STATION10540 MAGNOLIA AVE77PCH3865 JACKSON ST76TARGET3520 TYLER ST70FOOD 4 LESS4250 VAN BUREN BLVD63RPD ORANGE STATION4102 ORANGE ST58YUM YUM DONUTS5130 ARLINGTON AVE56WALMART SUPERCENTER6250 VALLEY SPRINGS PKWY55STARBUCKS5225 CANYON CREST DR50OASIS APTS2335 14TH ST49WHISPERING FOUNTAINS4790 JACKSON ST48WSS10357 MAGNOLIA AVE45KAISER URGENT CARE10800 MAGNOLIA AVE45JURUPA ROYALE APTS4747 JURUPA AVE43NORTHGATE MARKET10391 MAGNOLIA AVE43TARGET2755 CANYON SPRINGS PKWY42GEEL PLACE APTS3990 REYNOLDS RD1163T otal RiversideCA.gov14
SAMPLE POLICE COSTSSample Costs for Excessive Responses Personnel hourly rate based on top-step salary without potential salary premiums. Total compensation includesfringe benefits, based on exemplar employees. Helicopter hourly rate based on fuel and amortized maintenancecosts. Total compensation includes operating costs, along with total compensation for one police pilot and onetactical flight officer.A large scale response requiring significant personnel and equipment over an extended period could result incosts up to or exceeding $10,000.00 7/2/2026
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POLICE PROCEDURECurrent Implementation of RMC 9.60•Complaints of suspected nuisance properties received from resident or City official.•Complaints vetted by a Lieutenant Area Commander.•If deemed valid, Area Commander works with owner/ occupant to mitigate or resolveconditions generating extraordinary responses.•Could include implementation of a safety plan or other mitigation measures.•If nuisance activity persists or owner/ occupant is uncooperative in resolving issues, costrecovery for extraordinary responses can be initiated.•Ensures owner/occupant given fair warning, and assistance in resolving any issues.•Assessments are appealable in accordance with RMC 1.17.400 RiversideCA.gov16
POTENTIAL FOR AUTOMATIONPotential Automation of RMC 9.60 Implementation•Searches can be partially automated but still would require several personnel hours to runsearches and compile data.•Computer system can't distinguish between nuisance activity and legitimate users of policeservices with high call volume (eg. hospitals, businesses, homes with legitimate police needs).•Would require an employee to personally verify each property by reviewing potentiallythousands of individual call records and adjudicating them against the RMC 9.60 criteria.•Would still be referred to an Area Commander for contact and solicitation of cooperation fromthe property owner/ occupant. 7/2/2026
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That the City Council:1. Receive and provide input on the implementation of the amendments to Chapter 9.60 of the Riverside Municipal Code related to extraordinary responses to certain emergency incidents and dangerous properties.RECOMMENDATIONS